Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground
by landryreagan
Summary: Sylvie Brett's life is turned upside down by an act of unspeakable violence. How will she handle it? How does the station handle it? Trigger warning: Sexual assault
1. Chapter 1

**Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground**

 **A/N: Not sure of the pairings yet but heavy Sylvie, Stella, Gabby, Shay and Chilli friendship. For the sake of the story, Shay is still alive and she and Dawson are still partners, and Chilli and Brett are partners on another Ambo, both working out of Firehouse 51. Matt/Gabby and Severide/Stella are established, and Sylvie, Stella and Chilli all share an apartment whilst Shay is still living with Severide and Gabby has her own place but spends most of the time at Matt's. It will have Chicago Med and Chicago PD characters as well.**

Sylvie Brett was exhausted. They all were. It was the second to last shift of the week and it had been a rough one on the whole house. It had been especially hard on Chilli, having lost two patients as PIC en route to Chicago Med. Out of the three cases they had been called to during shift, Brett had lucked out with a simple drug overdose so had offered to fill out the majority of the paperwork, allowing Chilli to go home early. Although by home, that meant "Molly's" for majority of the station. Gabby, Hermann and Otis had headed there straight after shift knowing that it was going to be a busy night, Shay and Severide were going to swing by their place first to change, and as far as she knew, everyone else on Truck and Squad were making their way to the bar too. Boden was the only one still there from day-shift; sitting in his office, doing his usual self-reflection that he did after tough shifts.

Brett pulled her hair loose and swung her head slightly so that her blonde curls framed her shoulders loosely. She glanced down at her phone, noting a text from Dawson and a missed call from a private number. She frowned but figured it was nothing considering they hadn't left a voicemail. Dawson's text was simple- "You on your way?" and Sylvie responded with a simple "thumbs up" emoji. Sure, it wasn't exactly true but it wasn't a complete lie. She was almost done with the paperwork and figured she'd just change at the station rather than swinging by the apartment she shared with Chilli and Stella first.

They had grown close, her and Chilli. They all had really but Brett had helped Chilli with her drinking after her sister died and they eventually ended up moving in together, along with Stella. Gabby had contemplated moving in with them as well but with all of the time she spent at Matt's, it didn't make much sense. After Stella and Severide got together, things were a little awkward but they all adjusted well, especially after both her and Stella "proved" to Shay that neither were gay during a very-drunk game of truth-or-dare. Sylvie had adjusted well to the firehouse and everyone had grown to be her family.

"You on your way out, Brett?"

The blonde looked up from the desk as Chief Boden spoke, smiling and nodding tiredly. "Just finished."

As if to reassure her boss, she stacked the paperwork together and told him that she would hand it in to Connie before telling him to have a good night.

Sylvie changed quickly, opting not to shower. She wasn't planning on having a late night but it was always helpful to blow off some steam. Grabbing her bag, Sylvie headed out of the station and into the dark, shivering slightly and hoping she had packed another sweater in her car.

A hand cupped her mouth hard and another wrapped around her stomach, pulling her backwards before she had a chance to act. She dropped her bag and keys as the person pulled her out of sight and into the buses.

Sylvie wanted to scream, fight, run, something, but was completely frozen when the man put his head next to hers and whispered through alcohol-ridden breathe. "Scream and I'll kill you."

She knew in an instant who it was. She didn't want to be right, but she knew that she was.

In a few swift instances, he winded her with a jab to the stomach and two punches to the face. Sylvie could feel the blood dripping down her face and she couldn't move her jaw, assuming that it was broken or at least dislocated. She tried to cry out but could barely manage small whimpers and she tried to curl up in a foetal position but the pain was too unbearable.

"I warned you."

His voice was a rough whisper- it was one side of him that only she knew. Sylvie tried to look up at him to beg for him to leave but her vision was blurred with tears. This only seemed to amuse him more. He grabbed her jaw tightly, ignoring the small cry she couldn't help but let out, and forced a rough kiss to her lips. His hand slipped up under her shirt and rubbed her breasts roughly while he used the other to unbutton his jeans.

He pushed her down harder and tore off her own jeans and underwear in one swift movement before forcing her legs apart with his knees. Twisting her arms, he pinned them above her head and forced himself inside of her.

The pain was so unbearable that Sylvie could barely hear the man talking.

"You know, I used to love you, Syl." He kept thrusting. "We would have been good together." Another thrust. "Made some beautiful babies, had a life, but no, you had to run off and play superhero."

He spat in her face and Sylvie felt like she was going to vomit, either from the pain, the disgust or both.

He finished fairly quickly although it felt like hours. Sylvie put it down to his clear intoxication. He may have been done with sex but the multiple beatings that followed proved he wasn't completely finished. Once he was done, Sylvie was numb. Her paramedic training knew that she needed help, but the overwhelming fear and pain coursing through her body kept her from moving.

"Tell anyone, you're dead."

With one last whisper, he was gone.

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Chilli was sitting on the bar with Capp, Tony, Cruz, Otis and a few other patrons, laughing and doing shots when Gabby came over to her from behind the bar. "Have you heard from Brett? She said she was on her way over two hours ago."

Chilli checked her phone but shook her head. "Maybe she just decided to head home?"

Gabby frowned but nodded, making sure to hand Chilli and the guys a few glasses of water before heading over to Stella, Severide, Shay and Casey. "Have any of you heard from Brett?"

She wasn't really expecting an answer from the boys but looked between her partner and her friend. "Nope."

"Maybe she just went home early."

Gabby frowned again. "Yeah, that's what Chilli said. Can one of you please call her?"

Gabby wasn't much of a worrier and she knew that most of her friends could take care of themselves, but something didn't feel right and ignoring your intuition wasn't something that ran in the Dawson gene pool. Stella nodded, dialling and waiting before hanging up.

"Straight to voicemail." Stella noticed the concern on Gabby's face and placed a comforting hand on the Latinos while Matt did the same as he rubbed her back. "I'm sure she's fine."

Gabby nodded but wasn't convinced. However, the bar was getting slammed and Hermann was struggling to keep up so she headed back to helped. It died down around midnight with most of the station too exhausted to stay much longer. Matt, Shay and Severide stuck around to help clean up, but Stella and Chilli plus the rest of the house headed home.

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Gabby Dawson woke up with a pounding headache and for a minute thought she had one of the worst hangovers ever. That would have been impossible though seeing as she hadn't had a drop to drink the night before. She groaned, turning on her side to see Matt's side of the bed empty. It took a moment to process that he was in the shower so she grabbed her phone off the bedside table and glanced at it. They were running early for work but still no word from Brett.

After getting dressed and downing a few coffees and some aspirin, Gabby looked up to see Matt emerge in the kitchen. "You're not showering?"

"No, I want to head in early. Check on Brett."

Matt nodded. He knew his girlfriend and he knew that she was concerned. Although he suspected there was nothing wrong, he went along with it and grabbed his keys. "Let's get going."

Gabby smiled and kissed him thankfully before they headed to the car.

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Stella groaned as she rolled over in bed. Her headed pounded and from the overwhelming smell of coffee, she could tell that Chilli probably felt the same.

"Mornin'."

Chilli barely looked up from her coffee. "There's aspirin on the counter."

Stella gratefully downed two with a freshly made cup of coffee before leaning on the kitchen island in front of Chilli. "Brett up yet?"

"I think she went in early."

Stella nodded, noting that Chilli was already showered and dressed. "If you want to head in early, I can drive too."

"I was actually going to head to a meeting." Chilli looked slightly ashamed and Stella frowned sympathetically. Chilli had been working really hard on her drinking and rarely had bad slips, but she could tell that the Paramedic was feeling guilty for going overboard the night before.

Stella nodded, smiling and rubbing her shoulder comfortingly. "Good idea. I'm proud of you… We all are."

Chilli smiled but didn't say anything. Instead she watched as Stella headed towards the bathroom before grabbing her keys and heading to her car.

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It took Stella longer to get to work than she expected, partly because she had stopped for more coffee on the way and the other part due to her hangover. Everyone's cars were there and Stella breathed a small sigh of relief she hadn't realized she'd been holding when she saw that that included Brett's.

She practically ran up the driveway and decided to use the side door, knowing she was running late and hoping to avoid bumping into Boden.

Stella looked down at her shoe the second she almost slipped when entering the building. She almost cussed, figuring it was dog poop or something equally as disgusting, but was surprised to see a red footprint when she lifted her shoe.

The brunette turned around and noticed that she had tracked in the same red footprints from outside and curiously followed them, pondering for a moment whether she should find one of the guys to go with her. Deciding otherwise, Stella cautiously following the footprints down the pathway and almost fell back when she saw what was in front of her.

A body- unconscious, bruised and bloodied, and only half-dressed lay in the bushes. Had it not been for the phone, keys and bag lying next to her, Kidd wasn't even sure it she would her recognised the girl as Sylvie Brett.

She dropped to her knees and shakily felt for a pulse before jumping up and running to the door, shouting, before running back to Sylvie.

"I need some help out here!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

 **A/N: So I only had forty-five minutes to smash this chapter out and therefore it hasn't been proof-read so please excuse any mistakes. I'm hoping y'all are liking this… If you are, please review!**

Within seconds, majority of the firehouse were headed in the way of Stella's scream. Instinctively, Stella shielded Sylvie as best she could, knowing that the blonde would probably be horrified if they had seen her like that, especially the men.

Severide arrived first, followed quickly by Casey, Shay, Boden and Hermann with the others close behind. All stopped instantly in their tracks, not really sure what to think. Shay was the first to act, switching into paramedic mode and kneeling down beside Sylvie with Stella on the blonde's other side. She looked up at Severide who got the message and ran back into the firehouse. "Dawson! Chilli! Get out here!"

A few seconds passed before the other two paramedics came rushing out. Chilli froze instantly at the sight of her partner whilst Gabby jumped right into action. Part of her wanted to throw up, another part wanted to hit herself for not checking on the blonde's wellbeing more the night before, another part wanted to physically rip apart the person who had hurt her friend, and finally and thankfully, the final part flung her into paramedic mode.

Gabby moved to kneel besides Stella, doing a once over of the blonde. Shay was doing the same and it was obvious, not only to the medics but also to everyone else, that Sylvie Brett was definitely not in a good shape.

Sylvie's face was black, blue, bloodied and swollen. It was pretty clear that at least her jaw was broken and probably her eye-socket and nose too. She had a massive gaping gash along her forehead and her blonde hair was practically dyed red with blood. Her lip was split open and both paramedics knew that she would be needing stitches, both there and on her head. There was strong bruising around her neck and they could almost hear Stella choke back a gag when she realized that they were hand marks. Her left collarbone was swollen and possibly broken, as were majority of her ribs. Gabby was certain that her left shoulder was dislocated and pretty sure that her right arm had a fracture. There was an unbelievable amount of bruising over her stomach and arms, and from what they could tell, her wrists hand been bound. Both Shay and Gabby stopped when they reached the lower part of her body, exchanging a glance before Shay spoke to the group watching on.

"Guys, can we have some room? Chilli, bring the bus around and get a blanket to cover her."

Chilli stood still frozen so Severide pulled off his jacket and handed it to Shay who gently lay it over the lower, exposed part of her body. A few seconds later, all but Boden, Chilli, Severide and Casey were still there with the rest following Shay's instructions.

"Chilli?" Chilli didn't move at the Chief's voice. "Chilli?!"

Finally, the younger woman snapped out of her daze and looked between her Chief and Brett. "Help Dawson and Shay. Severide, bring the Ambo around. Casey, come with me. Call Antonio, I'll call Voight and put the house out of action today."

Each followed their instructions although it took Chilli a little longer to act. No one wanted to move the blonde; heck, no one even knew where to start. Severide pulled the rig up as close as possible and got out a few bags, handing them to Gabby and Shay, before pulling out the stretcher.

Stella moved so that she was positioned at Sylvie's head allowing the medics more room but never leaving Sylvie's side. She placed a gentle hand on the blonde's head, careful to avoid any visible injuries, and was more than relieved when Shay said she had a pulse and was breathing. It was shallow and sounded as if she had fluid on her lungs, but at least she was breathing.

"Sylvie?" Gabby tried to keep her voice as calm and soothing as possible, gently touching her hand. "Sylvie, honey, can you hear me?"

Sylvie didn't move so Stella tried. "Brett, squeeze my hand if you can hear us."

It took a few seconds but Sylvie gave the weakest squeeze she could handle, a slight whimper escaping as she did.

"Good girl." Gabby reassured. "It's okay. You're going to be okay."

Shay grabbed a stethoscope out of the ambo bag before nodding to Chilli to prepare an oxygen mask, knowing that Gabby would manage the medication. "Okay, sweetie, I'm just going to listen to your chest, okay? It's just me, it's Leslie."

Sylvie instinctively inched away from Shay and closer to Stella when the other blonde went to touch her.

Stella gently cupped her head, leaning close to whisper. "Try not to move your head, babe. You're okay. No one's going to hurt you."

Sylvie nodded slightly, whimpering with each movement. The women took this as a good sign. As much as they hated to see their friend like this, at least she was somewhat responsive.

"Is it okay if Shay listens to your chest real quickly?"

Sylvie didn't respond but didn't pull away either, silently allowing her to. Shay listened as diligently as she could whilst trying to be quick, before nodding to Gabby with a solum look. There was definitely fluid on her lungs.

"Brett?" Chilli spoke up for the first time. "I'm just going to put an oxygen mask on, okay? It's going to help you breathe better."

It almost felt stupid explaining what they were doing to someone who already knew but they all knew that the more aware of the actions taking place, the more likely it was for the blonde to remain as calm as possible.

All four women exchanged a glance, knowing they needed to assess her lower body. "Sweetie, I'm going to give you some morphine for the pain then we're going to take a quick look at your stomach and legs. Is that okay?"

Sylvie cried out, both from pain and fear, as she tried her best to shuffle away from the medics and closer to Stella. "Okay, okay, it's okay. You're okay, sweetheart. I've got you. They're not going to hurt you. Just try not to move, okay, honey?"

The firefighter gently shifted Sylvie's head into her lap, knowing it was probably the least smartest thing to do. At that moment though, she only cared about making the blonde feel safe. "Can you open your eyes for me, baby?"

Sylvie's eyes fluttered slowly and she grimaced in pain. Eventually, she was only able to get one eye open half-way with the other completely swollen shut.

"Good girl." Stella forced a reassuring smile, trying her best to ignore the horror she felt when she saw that Sylvie's open eye was completely bloodshot. "You're doing so well. Just look at me, okay? Just focus on me and ignoring everything else."

It was a unanimous yet silent decision that Stella was to keep Sylvie as calm as possible whilst the other three gave her some basic treatment before they scoop and ran. Chilli placed a C-collar around her partner's neck before readjusting the breathing mask; Gabby pushed morphine followed by diazepam; and Shay hooked up the heart monitor and took basic OBs. Each exchanged a glance before Shay looked up at Severide whom was making sure to stay a fair distance away.

"Can you hand me a blanket?" He did as she requested and in one swift movement, the jacket covering Sylvie's legs was removed and replaced with a blanket. It didn't go unnoticed by anyone that the jacket had been drenched through with blood. Sylvie began to cry despite the pain so Stella pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, whispering soothing words.

Shay and Chilli stood up as Stella and Gabby tried to keep Sylvie calm and went to set up the stretcher, bringing it as close to Sylvie as she could. Gabby knelt closer so that Sylvie could look at her, noticing the way that the blonde switched her attention rapidly between Stella and herself.

"Okay, honey… We're going to move you to the stretcher now, okay? Is it okay if Severide helps us lift you? It's just him and us girls."

Sylvie didn't respond but she looked up at Stella with pleading eyes and her breathing increased rapidly. Stella knew that this was as calm as they would be able to get the girl so she nodded to the others.

It was silently agreed upon that Severide would lift under her stomach with Shay and Chilli at her waist and legs, Gabby stabilizing her head, and Stella doing her best to keep reassuring the blonde.

"On three." Gabby instructed. "One, two, three."

Sylvie let out a cry that broke all of their hearts and instinctively shifted in their hold. They positioned her on the stretcher quickly and buckled her in before loading her into the ambulance. Both Shay and Stella nodded a thank you to Severide and he took the hint, heading inside the station. Stella was the first in, positioning herself so that Sylvie could see her. She squeezed her hand gently and wiped a few stray tears from her cheeks, knowing she was likely hurting her but trying her best not to. Gabby was next in, taking over in treating her friend. Shay jumped in the driver's side with Chilli in the passenger's, all knowing that Shay was the one who would get them to the hospital the fastest considering her driving record.

They arrived at Chicago Med in record time; the ride completely silent minus the soft, reassuring whispers from Stella, the beeping of the machines and the muffled cries from Sylvie. Neither Shay nor Chilli were surprised when they saw Drs Halstead, Rhodes, Manning and Choi along with nurses April and Maggie, as well as a few others they didn't recognize, and Sharon, waiting at the ER entrance. They all knew that Boden would have called ahead.

Shay and Chilli jumped out first, Chilli making sure the others backed away a bit while Shay gave the rundown to Sharon and Maggie. "Sylvie Brett. 27. Found outside the firehouse this morning. Obviously assaulted. Suspected hypothermia, broken jaw, eye-socket, wrist, shoulder, possible ribs and pelvis…" She paused, nauseated. "Most likely raped and with the amount of blood, likely tearing and internal bleeding. We've given her twenty of morphine, fifteen of diazepam and she's on 90% 02. BP is low at 92/45, pulse rate is tachy at 121 and sats are only 68%. Barely responsive but is aware of her surroundings."

Chilli made sure that only Shay, Sharon and Maggie were close before knocking gently on the back door of the ambulance. Dawson opened one of the doors and looked around before opening the other. She wanted nothing more than to keep Sylvie protected and not seen in the shape that she was, but she also knew that the blonde needed immediate help.

"Sylvie? Honey, we're here, okay? We're at the hospital. Stella, Shay, Chilli and I will be with you the whole time, okay? Just focus on us."

Sylvie's only response was to look at Stella whom nodded and forced a reassuring smile. "It's okay."

Gabby jumped out of the ambulance first and with the help of Shay and Chilli, unloaded the stretcher as gently as possible. Sylvie let out a cry but calmed slightly when Stella jumped out and was by her side in seconds. Almost instantly, the doctors and nurses went to pounce on her as if she were just another patient but they were quickly held back by Sharon and Chilli.

"Take her to Baghdad."

Moving as quickly as they could while trying to keep the pain of the transport to a minimum, Shay and Dawson pushed the stretcher into the closest trauma room with Stella by Sylvie's side the entire time. Pretty quickly, the room was filled with doctors and nurses and Stella, Gabby, Shay and Chilli all felt like slapping them.

Maggie took charge, knowing they needed to move Sylvie from the stretcher to the bed and do a full workup as soon as possible. Gabby stabilized Sylvie's head, whilst Shay, Chilli, Stellla, Maggie and April all grabbed the sheet Sylvie was lying on.

"On three. One, two, three."

Sylvie let out a scream followed by agonizing cries as they positioned her on the bed. Everyone was acting quickly, doing their jobs the way they usually would, but not taking into account the terrified girl lying in front of them. Sylvie's heart monitor started beeping stating that her heart was very tachycardic and her breathing became rapid, shallow breaths. Shay was the first to pick up on it, leaning down close to Sylvie after signalling for the others to back away slightly.

"Sylvie? Honey, you're having a panic attack. I need you to try and slow your breathing for me. Take slow, deep breaths, okay? In and out, in and out."

She demonstrated the method but as hard as Sylvie tried, she couldn't stop. She reached out for Stella ignoring the pain whom instantly took her hand. She couldn't speak but managed to mouth out the words. "Can't breathe."

"Shhh… It's okay, you're okay." April upped the oxygen as Stella gently stroked Sylvie's forehead. "Just try to breathe slowly. You're safe. We're here. You're going to be okay."

"Give her another five of morphine and two of lorazepam."

Gabby, Shay and Chilli looked up as Dr. Will Halstead's voice came into the room, quickly followed by Dr. Connor Rhodes. "Order a full-body X-Ray and a head and chest CT."

Dr. Rhodes put on his stethoscope and went to listen to Sylvie's chest but the blonde instantly pulled away, instantly crying due to the pain but worried more about the male who was about to touch her than the physical pain she was in. Her heart rate spiked once again and the blonde whimpered, barely breathing.

"No…" Sylvie's voice was barely a whisper but everyone in the room could hear and see her pain. "Please…"

The blonde instinctively shifted closer to Stella despite her pain as if to shield herself from the view of others. They all picked up on it but Dr. Natalie Manning was the first to act, turning to the males in the room.

"Everyone out." Stella, Gabby, Shay and Chilli all knew that didn't mean them, at least not immediately, but the rest of the Chicago Med team obliged. "Now."

Once out of the room, Natalie continued. "No males in the room. April, you stay. Maggie too if we need you."

"But-"

Natalie stopped Dr. Rhodes in his tracks, knowing what they were all thinking. Head trauma, internal injuries, possible emergency surgery- she needed to be checked over immediately and by all departments.

"No males."

With that, Natalie and April made their way back into the room, closing the door and curtains behind them.

Natalie approached the bed with caution, noting how Sylvie clung to Stella despite her obvious pain and distress. "Sylvie, I need to check you over, okay? To see where you're hurt. April is going to grab the X-Ray machine and we'll take you up for a CT scan soon but right now, I need to listen to your chest and stomach, and check for any external injuries. Is that okay?"

Sylvie looked up at Stella first then at Gabby, Chilli and Shay. Gabby nodded reassuringly at the blonde.

"They can stay with you if you like?" Natalie already knew the answer but asked anyway. Sylvie didn't respond but shifted slightly so that Natalie would have more access.

Natalie was as gentle and fast as possible as she checked Sylvie over. The morphine and benzo had kicked in a little more allowing Sylvie to breath a little better but Natalie could hear fluid in her lungs. She decided against an immediate chest tube, instead opting to wait for the X-Ray. Sylvie's eye-socket and collarbone were definitely broken and her shoulder was definitely dislocated. Natalie wasn't entirely sure without an X-Ray regarding her jaw, ribs and opposite wrist but she suspected at least a couple of fractures. She dreaded what she had to do next.

"Sylvie, I need to look down low now, okay? I need to see how injured you are."

Sylvie shook her head and began to physically shake causing Stella and Gabby to come closer. "We're going to be here the whole time, okay? I promise, no one is going to hurt you."

"Just try to take deep breaths, sweetie. It's just Natalie. No one else can see."

Sylvie hesitated but nodded ever so slightly after a few moments. Almost everyone in the room was able to stifle their gasps before Sylvie could hear them minus Chilli, who looked apologetically between the rest of the group. Sylvie had bled through the sheets and blankets and still had blood trickling down her legs. Her thighs were bruised and no one even wanted to imagine the kind of damage Natalie was looking at only inches above.

Sylvie was crying and shaking, holding as much of a death grip on Stella's hand as she could considering the pain. The firefighter simply gripped her hand back while Shay ran a hand over her forehead, gently reminding her to breathe.

After what seemed like hours but was realistically only a couple of minutes, Natalie covered Sylvie with a blanket again and changed her gloves. She pulled Gabby, Chilli and April aside, speaking as quietly as possible.

"There's major internal and external tearing. She's going to need surgery as soon as possible but I want an X-Ray and CT scan done first to check for any other major bleeding."

April took that as her que to grab the portable X-Ray machine whilst the other three went back over to Sylvie. "Okay, Sylvie, we're going to do a quick X-Ray down here then head upstairs for a CT scan." She paused, looking between the others. "And then we're going to need to take you into surgery."

Sylvie began panicking again, her eyes darting between the other women in the room. Stella acted first, squeezing her hand. "It's going to be okay. You're safe here. And I will personally make sure that there are only females in the room. Does that sound okay?"

Sylvie whimpered but settled slightly, allowing Gabby to kiss her forehead reassuringly. April arrived back with the X-Ray soon after and confirmed most of what they suspected- a broken eye-socket, fractured jaw, dislocated shoulder, fractured collarbone, spiral fracture to her wrist, five broken ribs and a small pelvic fracture, not to mention the need for numerous external sutures. Before heading up to CT, Natalie ordered another 10mg of morphine and another five of lorazepam- enough to keep her calm enough for both the scan and the surgery knowing that neither Stella nor any of the medics would be allowed in the operating room.

By the time it was time to take Sylvie into surgery, she was passed out- a mixture of pain, medication and pure exhaustion. It took Chilli and Shay to pry Stella and Gabby away from the blonde's side respectfully, but they all watched as she was pushed into the operating area before slowly heading down to where they assumed the rest of the firehouse and probably the police were waiting.

For now, it was just a waiting game.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Stella honestly didn't think that the clock in the waiting room could be any louder or more annoying if it tried. Each second was like a sledgehammer and it only got more agonizing as time went on. Sylvie had been in surgery for five hours, forty-three minutes and approximately twenty-six seconds and there had yet to be any word. The entire firehouse was waiting in the waiting room along with Cindy Hermann, Donna Robbins, Trudy Platt, and all of Sergeant Hank Voight's team. Gabby was resting against Casey, Chilli was sitting next to Jimmy, Otis and Cruz, Mouch and Hermann were dutifully following their wives' orders and trying to force everyone to eat or drink something. Stella herself was switching between sitting next to Severide, with Shay on his other side, and pacing. Boden was talking with Voight; the final to give a statement. Stella was really the only one who could provide any information and even that wasn't much.

As if on cue, Dr. Manning and Dr. Halstead came through the doors and everyone was standing moments later.

"She's okay." Natalie answered before anyone could ask. "Physically, there was a fare bit of damage, both internally and externally, but we managed to stop the bleeding. Her eye-socket and five ribs were broken, and she has fractures to her jaw, collarbone, wrist and pelvis. We also had to put her shoulder back in place and she had some minor bruising on the brain which we've managed to stabilize for now. She required a lot of stitches and majority of her body is bruised." Natalie paused, trying to decide if she should continue. She didn't want to break Sylvie's trust but she knew that they were her family and that they suspected the worst already. "She was also sexually assaulted."

It wasn't a shock but majority of them looked like they wanted to throw up or punch something. Severide was the only one who did something, punching a hole in the closest wall. Casey, Shay and Jimmy pulled him back quickly and Stella stepped over to calm him down, taking his hand in hers. She placed her other hand against his cheek but couldn't bring herself to be angry at him.

"Let's get that checked out."

Dr. Halstead stepped forward and lead Kelly away with only minimal hesitation after a kiss from Stella and reassurance from Shay.

"When can we see her?"

It was Chilli who found her voice first and she asked the question they were all wondering.

Natalie looked around the group, hesitating before answering. "She's still unconscious at the moment. She probably won't be awake for another few hours and she'll be kept in the ICU so only family and the police will be allowed in. I'll do my best to work something out but no promises."

They all looked angry but Gabby was fuming. "We ARE her family!"

Matt held her back and Natalie nodded. "I understand that. Like I said, I'll try my best…" She paused. "Sylvie doesn't have anyone listed as her next-of-kin. Does anyone know how to reach her family?"

That took almost everyone by surprise. Sure, Brett didn't talk much about her family but she had mentioned them in passing. It didn't seem like the blonde to not have listed anyone.

"I'll, uh, I'll make a call. Check with Connie if she has anyone listed back at the station."

Natalie nodded, thanking Boden. Natalie turned to leave but Voight spoke up before she could.

"Dr. Manning? Did you do a rape kit?"

Natalie shook her head. "Due to the urgency, we weren't able to perform one before the surgery but we were able to collect some samples. We'll need to complete a full kit if she allows it once she wakes up."

Vought nodded and Stella couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. She noticed Gabby do the same and they exchanged a knowing glance, Shay noticing the exchange. They were all thinking the same thing. As Natalie left and the others went to sit down, Shay pulled both of the brunettes aside. It was only when they were in the corner that they noticed Chilli had followed. It wasn't that they wanted to deliberately exclude her; it was simply because it was Gabby's secret and neither Shay's nor Stella's to tell. After a moment of contemplation, Gabby nodded that it was okay. After all, Chilli would likely find out one day anyway.

"She can't do the rape kit alone."

Shay said what they were all thinking, placing a comforting hand on Dawson's elbow but ignoring the instinctive flinch.

Gabby drew in a breath and closed her eyes, pinching the top of her nose. "I know." She nodded. "She won't have to."

"You don't have to-"

Gabby cut Stella off. "We'll see what Brett wants first."

"Dawson…"

Chilli, whom had been listening, spoke up quietly and hesitantly. "Am I missing something?"

Shay and Stella exchanged a glance but it was Dawson who eventually spoke up, making sure to whisper. Not even Matt knew. "The rape kit… It's like being raped all over again."

"You?" It caught Chilli by surprise. Surely not Dawson.

Gabby nodded and felt Stella squeeze her shoulder whilst Shay put a comforting hand on her back. "A couple of years ago. Just some guy I met on a blind date. He didn't hurt me… I mean, not like Brett."

"But he took advantage."

Shay finished for Dawson, knowing her partner and best friend couldn't say the words.

"Had it not been for Shay, I would have never even gone to the hospital, let alone had a rape kit done." She smiled gratefully at Shay then turned to face Kidd. "I told Stella a year or so ago when one of her old training officers was harassing her."

Chilli didn't know what to say so all she could do was apologize. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be." Gabby forced a small smile, reaching out to squeeze Chilli's hand. "Let's just focus on Brett now, okay?"

With that, the four made their way back over to the others- Chilli and Stella both accepting a coffee from Cindy, and Dawson sitting in the corner with only Shay by her side, the blonde making sure to keep a comforting grip on her best friend's hand.

xxxxxxxx

Sylvie didn't even get a chance to properly become aware of her surroundings as her stomach reacted. She coughed, vomiting all over her bedding and gown. Her entire body was in pain and she honestly didn't understand why. A nurse she recognized as April was by her side almost instantly, wiping her mouth and chin gently as she pressed the call button. April was grateful a few minutes later when Natalie and Maggie came into the room, knowing one of them had made sure to note that no males were allowed in the room. It had been just over thirteen hours since Sylvie had been moved from surgery to recovery but Sylvie couldn't even tell the day let alone the time.

"Hey, Sylvie. It's Dr. Manning. Can you hear me?"

Sylvie nodded but instantly regretted it, throwing up again. The only difference this time was that April was prepared with a bucket. After emptying her stomach and dry heaving for a few minutes, Brett slowly lowered her head back down on the pillow.

"Do you remember what happened?"

Sylvie began to shake her head but stopped and paled even more than she already was. They all took that as a sign and Maggie was the first to reassure her. "It's alright. You're safe here."

Sylvie began to cry and shake, trying to curl up only to cry out more from pain. April and Natalie gently put a hand on each of her shoulders, trying to calm her.

"Try not to move, sweetie. You've got a lot of injuries. I'm going to give you some morphine for the pain and some diazepam to help you calm down, okay?"

Sylvie didn't say anything but watched as best she could out of the only eye she could open as Natalie pushed the pain meds into her IV. They waited a few moments for the medication to kick in before April and Maggie began to remove the vomit-covered blankets from Sylvie and wipe her face.

"We're going to get you changed into a fresh gown and change your bedding, and then Dr. Manning is going to check you over, okay?"

Sylvie simply nodded, allowing them to do what they said. No matter how hard she tried though, she couldn't stop herself from crying or shaking. April and Maggie worked quickly and Sylvie was actually thankful that her hair had been pulled back by a bandage wrapped around her head. Once they had finished, Maggie left the room and April began to take Sylvie's OBs.

"BP's 98/52, pulse rate's 106, sats are at 95%."

Natalie nodded, jotting down the notes. She put down the notepad and pulled out a penlight. "Sylvie, can you followed the light with your eyes?"

Sylvie did as she was told but knew it wasn't much. Natalie didn't care, nodding and smiling.

"Good, good. Now can you squeeze my fingers for me?" Again Sylvie complied. "Great. Now push against my hands with your feet."

The paramedic in Sylvie knew that she wasn't doing too well with the tests but Natalie seemed okay with them for now.

"Do you have any pain anywhere?"

It was a stupid question and they all knew it, but Natalie had to ask nonetheless. Sylvie tried to shrug, feeling her eyes fill with tears again. Her voice was hoarse and barely a whisper when she finally found it. "Everywhere."

Natalie nodded sympathetically, going to place a comforting hand on the blonde's knee but stopping herself when she saw Sylvie flinch. "Okay, I'm going to give you something more for the pain. Is there anything I can do for you? Anyone I can call?"

Sylvie wanted to answer but was too embarrassed to do so. Natalie noticed this so continued, hoping that she had the right answer. "Everyone is out in the waiting room. I can probably sneak Stella and the other medics in if you want?"

Sylvie hesitated but nodded, looking away as if she was ashamed. Natalie smiled sadly before looking up at April. "Okay. I'll go get them for you. April will be right outside so just ring the bell if you need anything, and I'll be back to check on you soon."

Both Natalie and April left the room, making sure to leave the lights on and close the door behind them. Sylvie couldn't hold it in any longer and allowed the sobs to rack her body. It hurt everywhere, but the emotional pain hurt more than the physical.

After a few moments, there was a knock at the door and Sylvie looked up to see Shay first, closely followed by Gabby, Stella and Chilli. She knew they must have literally run up seeing as the waiting room was on the first floor and she was on the fourth but had somehow managed to arrive after only a few minutes.

They opened the door but hesitated in the entrance, silently asking for permission to enter. Sylvie simply wiped her eyes as best she could, ashamed.

"Hey, sweetheart."

Gabby lead the way into the room, pasting on a smile at her bruised and battered friend. The blonde looked so tiny and fragile in the hospital bed. Gabby pulled up a seat on one side with Shay sitting on the bed on the same side. Stella and Chilli did the same on the other side only in reverse. No one said anything. No one really knew what to say.

"I'm sorry."

It was Sylvie who broke the silence, lifting her hand to cover her mouth as she began to cry. The other four women exchanged a glance as Sylvie tried her best to bury her face.

"Hey…" Stella broke the silence, cupping the side of Sylvie's face. "Don't you dare apologize, okay? You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for."

Sylvie didn't stop crying but she did manage to nod her head slightly and allowed Stella to wrap her up in her arms. After a while, Sylvie's sobs started to settle and Stella pulled back, smiling reassuringly.

"It's okay." Stella whispered, only loud enough for Sylvie to hear.

After a few moments of silence, Shay spoke up. "How're you feeling, girl?"

"Sore." It took Sylvie a while to answer and they all knew that she was playing it down but they went along with it anyway.

The next half hour was filled with pointless chit-chat- anything to distract Sylvie. It all seemed useless considering the position they were in but it seemed to help enough to wear Sylvie down. She tried to keep awake but between the physical and emotional exhaustion combined with the medication and pain, she started to drift off.

Gabby noticed first, nodding to the others.

"We'll let you get some sleep." Chilli smiled at her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

Shay and Gabby followed, each kissing Sylvie's cheek. "Call us if you need anything, okay? Day or night."

"We'll be back tomorrow."

Sylvie nodded and tried to force a smile but it barely worked. She did, however, manage to squeeze Stella's hand, hinting for the brunette to stay behind. The others noticed and with one final goodbye, they left the two women alone.

Sylvie looked up at Stella and didn't know what to feel when she saw Stella smiling sadly back at her. After a few moments, Stella tried to ease the blonde and reached for the remote before shuffling over on the bed so that she was laying next to Sylvie. "Scoot over."

Sylvie internally smiled and tried to shift over as much as possible. Stella flipped through the channels for a while before coming to a stop when she saw '30 Rock' was on. She wasn't really a fan herself but she knew that Sylvie loved it. After a few moments, Stella noticed that Sylvie was struggling to keep her eyes open and she patted her shoulder, placing a kiss to the top of Sylvie's head when the blonde rested it against Stella's shoulder. Sylvie drifted off minutes later and Stella begged her stomach to keep from rumbling. She was starving but there was no way she was going to move. She would do anything to make sure Sylvie was safe.

 **A/N: Next chapter- Rape kit and police interviews plus obviously some more bonding. Let me know who'd you like to see bonding through either friendships or relationships, and if there's anything else you want included. Oh, and don't worry, you'll find out who the attacker is soon enough! (hint: it's someone we've met). I'll try to update as much as possible but please, please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 **A/N: Please forgive any grammar errors and the late update! It's 4am and I haven't slept in days so it's all a little hazy. Reviews are greatly appreciated!**

Stella didn't sleep. She tried, sure, but she knew that she would never succeed. Actually, she hoped that she wouldn't. Thankfully, however, Sylvie had a solid couple of hours, granted they were interrupted every fifteen minutes or so from nightmares. Sylvie tried to brush it off as nothing, but both her and Stella knew better.

Sylvie was awake before rounds the next morning. Stella was already awake but didn't mention to Sylvie that she hadn't slept. She knew why the blonde was up and it wasn't just because of the nightmares. Today Sylvie was supposed to speak with the police- give her statement and have a rape kit done. Stella honestly couldn't tell who was dreading it more- herself or Sylvie.

Throughout the night, Stella had been texting Dawson, Shay and Chilli. She knew none of them were sleeping anyway and that they would all want an update on Brett. Stella was pretty diligent, updating them at least once an hour, but her main focus was on Sylvie. Although she attempted to put on a brave face, Brett was definitely one of the weaker crew.

Around 6:30am (although Kidd had known that she had been awake for hours), Sylvie stirred. She buried her head closer into Stella's shoulder and didn't resist when the brunette wrapped an arm around her. Honestly, the closeness of not only a friend but more importantly a female, made her feel safe…. At least as safe as she could feel.

Natalie Manning did rounds…. Well, at least in Sylvie's room. The other doctors did most of the rest but both Brett and Stella were grateful that Natalie and April did her's. Apparently she was healing as much as possible, but she refused more painkillers and the morning After-Pill… Stella didn't understand but she knew that Sylvie was still confused. However, once the topic of talking to the police and having a rape kit done, Sylvie completely shut down. Stella handled it as best she could but couldn't be more thankful for the knock at the door.

"Good morning, sunshines." Shay's smile was always infectious and both Sylvie and Stella couldn't help but smile back as Shay, Dawson and Chilli walked through the door. "We bought the necessities."

Chilli held five coffees and Shay had donuts. Gabby, being the only sensible one out of the three, produced bottles of water, a couple of magazines and Sylvie's iPod,

Sylvie was still too nauseous to eat or drink anything but accepted the offers anyway. She hated letting people down. She pretended to take a sip of the coffee but Stella saw straight through it, thankful that the others didn't.

Another knock at the door caused them all to look up and Sylvie instinctively inched closer to Stella.

"Dawson?"

Everyone in the room looked up although Brett was the most anxious. She relaxed a little once she knew that it was Erin Lindsay, part of Hank Voight's team. Someone she knew and could trust.

Gabby hopped off her seat, shooting a reassuring smile at Sylvie first, before following Lindsay out of the room.

Once they were out of the room, Erin started talking, making sure to keep her voice low. "I need to take her statement."

Gabby nodded, reluctantly. "I know."

"But there needs to be at least two of us in there…" Erin paused, referring to the fact that she was the only female on Voight's team at the moment..

Dawson hesitated. She knew it would either be a good idea or a bad idea, but it was the only one she could think of. "Antonio. Get Antonio."

Lindsay nodded and turned to make the call but Gabby stopped her. "Just please don't let her know that I requested him… I mean, they have history, he's my brother, she's my friend, it's just…."

"Complicated. I get it. Don't worry."

Erin nodded reassuringly and placed a gentle hand on Dawson's arm, making sure that the brunette felt safe. Erin, herself, had taken charge of Gabby's own rape kit and knew how badly she didn't want her brother to know.

Although she wasn't entirely sure Antonio was the best person for the job considering his and Sylvie's history, he was probably one of the smarter choices. Voight and Jay would have lost their tempers, Hailey was still new; Kim, whilst close with Sylvie would have probably gotten too emotional, and Ruzek and Olinisky were no go's. Basically it was Erin and Antonio.

Lindsay left with a simple nod and speed-dialled Antonio whilst Gabby went back into the room. She gently took a hold of Sylvie's hand before deciding what to say. "Erin went to call Antonio."

Sylvie instantly began to freak out but the others tried to calm her. "I know, babe, I know. But he'll just be there for you, okay? There has to be two police in the room to take your statement and he's good." Gabby nudged Sylvie's shoulder, jokingly. "You know that. He won't judge you, okay?"

Sylvie didn't respond. In fact, she didn't say anything or make any movement until Lindsay knocked on the door.

"Hey, Sylvie." Erin Lindsay entered the room cautiously, trying to avoid catching the blonde off guard. "I was wondering if I could talk to you?"

Sylvie's eyes darted between Stella and Gabby whom both gave her reassuring nods. Eventually, Sylvie nodded but her grip on Dawson's hand tightened slightly.

Erin nodded, smiling reassuringly before hesitating. "I was wondering if Antonio could join us? There needs to be two officers here but if you'd want someone else-"

Sylvie tensed and Gabby squeezed her hand, nodding that it was okay. Eventually, the blonde agreed. "Okay." She whispered.

Lindsay went to the door and knocked that it was okay for Antonio to come in, silently reminding him to keep a straight face. He took a few moments to compose himself before following Erin back in.

"Hey, Sylvie." He gave a small, lame wave, not knowing what else to do. Brett kept her eyes glued on him but instinctively shifted closer to Stella.

Erin debated what to do next but decided to just jump straight in. She pulled up a chair next to Sylvie's bed but close enough to give the blonde some distance. Antonio just stood lamely in the back ground.

"I know that this is really hard to talk about but can you tell me about the other night?"

For reassurance, Brett looked between Stella, Gabby, Shay and Chilli before her eyes settled on her lap.

"I, uh, I was finishing up some paper work at the station when Gabby texted me. We were all supposed to go to Molly's. I remember changing, and going outside. It was cold-" She paused. "I didn't even see him but his hand covered my mouth-" she demonstrated. "and then he pulled me into the bushes." Sylvie's face went cold and emotionless, scaring the whole room. "And then he raped me."

Erin nodded, trying to be hesitant of how far to push. She paused for a minute before asking. "Do you have any idea who it was?"

Sylvie froze, visibly shaking before tugging at Shay's arm. Shay was the closest and luckily knew what she was asking, instantly grabbing the sick basin and putting it under Brett's mouth. Sylvie heaved by nothing came out considering she hadn't eaten or had anything to drink in over twenty-four hours. Gabby and Stella rubbed her back, Chilli wet a face cloth and Shay held the basin in place; Erin and Antonio were the only ones to step back.

Sylvie shook her head rapidly, her eyes pleading. "No! No, please. No, I don't know. Please stop asking!"

"Hey! Hey, Sylvie, honey, it's okay. You're okay." Gabby was the first to jump in, quickly followed by Chilli. Shay nodded to Erin and Antonio to leave the room whilst Stella cleaned up the blonde as best she could.

Chilli was surprisingly the only one who thought of something to calm down the blonde- she pulled out her phone and played one of Sylvie's favourite songs- "Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground" by Willie Nelson. Personally, Chilli hated it but she knew that Sylvie loved it and had downloaded it in case anything needed to calm the blonde down. Unfortunately, now, it did.

Sylvie's breathing evened out after a few moments and Chilli increased the volume. After playing it four and a half times, Sylvie seemed relaxed enough despite her death-grip on Dawson's hand.

"Is it okay if Erin and Antonio come back in?"

Sylvie shook her head to Shay's question. She couldn't talk; not right now. Gabby nodded to Shay, silently telling her that she wanted to talk to Sylvie alone.

"I'm going to tell you something, okay? But I don't want you to freak out or worry or anything."

Gabby titled Sylvie's chin so that the blonde was looking at her. Shay nodded towards the door, meaning that she, Stella and Chilli should give them some privacy.

Dawson took a hold of Brett's hands once she was sure that the blonde was focused on her. As much as she wanted to look away, the older paramedic held her gaze.

"The rape kit… It sucks. It really does. So does the statement. And I'm not just saying it as a medic, I'm saying it because I've been there." Sylvie's eyes widened slightly but neither broke their gaze. "All you want to do is get clean. Just shower and get clean and forget it ever happened… But it did. It happened. And sweetheart, I am _so_ sorry that it happened to you, but I promise you something. No one; not me, or Shay, or Stella, or Chilli, or anyone else you want are going to leave your side. No one is going to see you any differently. And as soon as the exam is over, you can shower. You can scrub as hard and as much as you want, okay? But this really needs to happen because we need to make sure that this bastard never does it again. Okay?"

Sylvie was crying; both for herself and for Dawson; but she nodded slightly. Gabby squeezed her hand and gave her a kiss on the cheek before leaving the room to get everyone else.

It was agonizing. Not only for Sylvie, but for everyone in the room. Erin was there but Antonio gave them some space; Gabby, Stella, Shay and Chilli were all by their friend's side, and Natalie was doing the rape kit. Sylvie swapped between holding her breath and crying.

Sylvie felt like she was reliving it. Her body shook and ached beyond belief and logically she knew why, but emotionally she couldn't grasp it.

 _ **He pushed himself inside of her harder and harder. The pain was unbearable but Sylvie tried to ignore it- hoping, begging for it not to be true.**_

 _ **They had known each other forever. She knew what would happen if she didn't behave. She knew but she still broke the "rules". It was her fault.**_

"No…" Sylvie was stuck in a flashback and her body was physically shaking. "Please… Please stop."

Everyone in the room tried to bring her back to reality but it didn't seem to be happening.

" _ **You bitch. You think you can just leave me? Huh? It's your fault. You're the one to blame for this."**_

 _ **He kept thrusting, going deeper and harder each time.**_

"Sylvie?! You need to come back to us, okay? You're safe here." Natalie was really the only one who could act- the rest were in shock.

Sylvie curled up, pulling away from everyone. Everything was coming back.

 _ **He kept going but after a few moments, Brett just ignored everything. It hurt beyond belief but she couldn't acknowledge it.**_

Gabby knew what was going on- Brett was re-living it all. She needed to stop it.

"No, stop! Now!" Everyone in the room turned to her but Dawson didn't care. "Stop it. She can't do this now."

"Dawson, it's policy-"

Gabby cut Natalie off, concentrating on Sylvie. "Screw policy. Just stop."

"Hey, Sylvie, honey? I need you to look at me, okay?" Gabby forced all of her attention on Brett, trying to keep from reliving her own experience. "Just focus on me, okay? Everyone else is going."

The others got the point and left the room quickly, making sure that the curtains were drawn and the door was closed. After a few moments of encouragement, Sylvie managed to slow her breathing to copy Dawson's. Gabby couldn't do anything but wrap her arms around the blonde.

After around half an hour, Shay knocked on the door. She remembered exactly what Dawson was like during and after her rape kit and knew that the brunette shouldn't be alone. Gabby was laying next to Sylvie- an arm wrapped around her and the TV on although Shay could tell that neither were paying attention.

"How're you feeling, girl?" Shay pulled up a seat next to the bed and directed the question at both women. Dawson didn't answer but Brett shrugged slightly, offering a weak smile. It still amazed them all that the blonde could still try to be so sweet after everything she had been through.

"Well it's okay now. Natalie's done enough for now. We'll get you covered and safe, okay? Do you want Stella and Chilli to come back in too?"

Sylvie nodded, grateful, and both Shay and Dawson breathed a sigh of relief. Dawson needed a break and Shay certainly knew that.

They were almost the same words that Shay had told Dawson, minus the mention of Stella and Chilli, but they worked at the time so the older blonde was hoping they would work this time.

After Shay let them in, Sylvie calmed a bit once tight blankets were covering her and Stella and Gabby were next to her with Shay and Chilli standing a little back but close enough if she wanted them.

"Is there anything we can get you? Water? Coffee? Something to eat maybe?" Natalie showed up a few moments later, silently apologizing.

"I want to shower."

Sylvie's voice was barely a whisper, completely filled with tears. She didn't look at anyone in the room, instead pulling her knees to her chest as much as it hurt. Natalie acted, knowing how much pain the blonde was in.

"Of course." She smiled reassuringly. "I'm just going to give you a little more pain medication and then I'll get one of the nurses to help you shower, okay?"

This caught Brett's attention. "No! Please, no. I don't want a nurse."

"I'm sorry, honey, but someone is going to need to be in there with you." She didn't mentioned that it was partially due to the medication but mainly due to the injuries.

Sylvie shook her head, tears dripping down her cheeks. She looked between the other women in the room before finally settling on Chilli. "Chilli. I want Chilli."

Natalie nodded, reassured that at least someone with medical training would be in the bathroom with her. "Okay. I'll get April to push some more pain meds and get you some soap and a gown, and then Chilli can help you out, okay?"

Chilli looked hesitant but forced a reassuring smile and nod anyway. Why not Gabby? Or Stella? Or even Shay? She truly felt that she was out of her league but she would do anything to help her partner.

The shower took a lot longer than expected but not nearly as long as Sylvie wanted. She had been made to sit in the shower chair the entire time with shower-proof bagging covering a fair bit of her body. Chilli had tried her best to wash every inch of her partner's body that she could reach but as hard as she tried, according the the blonde's flowing tears, hadn't succeed. Sylvie just wanted to scrub and scrub and scrub; she just wanted to be clean.

After settling Sylvie back in bed, everyone noticed that it was getting late. Technically it was still the ICU and visiting hours on general wards finished hours ago. It was one of the nurses whom none of them had worked with before whom decided to kick them out a half an hour later.

Shay was the first to say goodbye, handing over her iPod and kissing her forehead before whispering. "Almost all Country, I promise. Just don't tell the others." She winked before stepping back.

Stella and Chilli made their moves at the same time, each handing Sylvie something- Stella a hand drive with a huge collection of movies on it and Chilli a block of her partner's favorite chocolate.

Finally it was Gabby's turn. She hesitated at first but eventually wrapped the blonde up in a gentle but comforting hug. Neither said anything; it was all unwritten.

Stepping back after a few moments, Shay reached for Gabby's hand. She knew the brunette needed support but what was didn't expect was for Sylvie to speak up.

"Gabby?" Dawson looked back, a small smile on her face. Sylvie fiddled with the blankets nervously, not making eye contact. "Will you please stay with me?"

Without an answer, Gabby was across the room and seated on the bed next to Brett. Stella, Shay and Chilli all left; each distraught and worried for both of the women left behind but knowing that they were strong enough to handle it.

Dawson and Brett watched TV for a few hours; Gabby chose because Sylvie wasn't up for making decisions, and Sylvie didn't even touch the meal they brought her. Gabby swore to herself that she would get someone to pick up something tomorrow. Eventually, Sylvie began to close her eyes and Gabby smiled slightly. Heck, she still hated sleep but she knew that Brett needed it as much as possible right now.

"You tired?"

Sylvie nodded, resting her head on Gabby's shoulder. She was honestly exhausted but the last thing she wanted to do was sleep. Stella may have thought that she fooled her the night before but Sylvie knew that the brunette firefighter never slept a wink. She was hoping, for Dawson's sake, that tonight would be different.

Gabby pressed a kiss to Sylvie's forehead before leaning her own head on top of the blonde's. She squeezed Sylvie's hand to let her know that she was there; that she was safe; before flipping through the channels and settling on some random show on the Food Network.

"Try to sleep, okay?" Gabby whispered. "I'll be right here."

Sylvie hesitated but eventually nodded, closing her eyes. Gabby was there, the police were at her door, she was safe… at least physically. Mentally was a completely different subject.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Chilli arrived first the next morning, surprising both herself and Gabby. Sylvie, thankfully, was still "asleep" although Gabby could tell that it wasn't a "settled" rest. She had been up and down during the night but Gabby figured any sleep was good sleep at the moment.

"I bought bear claws and coffee." Chilli whispered, entering the room.

Gabby smiled, starving and grateful. She didn't move from Sylvie's side though, not wanting to wake the blonde. "You're a goddess."

"I know." Chilli shrugged, smirking. "As you should too by now."

Gabby smiled back, gratefully accepting a coffee. Chilli nodded at her partner, concerned. "How'd she sleep?"

"As well as can be accepted."

Chilli nodded. "And you?"

Gabby frowned, not wanting to lie but not wanting to tell her friend the truth either. "I got about 45 minutes."

"All right… So between you and Stella, Shay and I are on night-duty for the next couple of nights. Deal?"

Gabby shrugged. They both knew she wasn't going to leave Sylvie's side but at least the offer was still there. "Deal."

They were silent for a while, both switching between focusing on Sylvie and the TV. Eventually, Chilli spoke up. "Dr. Manning said she could be released today… If she wanted."

Gabby nodded. She knew- but she knew that Sylvie probably still needed medical care yet ironically, hated hospitals. "Is it okay if I stay with you guys for a while? I think Shay'll want to too."

Chilli slunk back in her chair, shooting Dawson a knowing look. "Pretty sure that was already decided."

Gabby smiled. Honestly, she wasn't the biggest fan of Chilli when she started but the younger PIC definitely grew on her. She knew how much she cared for Brett, she knew what she'd do for all of her friends, and she knew what she'd been through. Dawson had nothing but respect for the other brunette.

"Knock, knock…"

Shay whispered as she gently knocked at the door. Granted, she had let Dawson know that both her and Stella were on their way but she still wanted to make sure that it was okay to enter.

Dawson smiled, grateful to see her best friend. She loved Sylvie, she loved Stella, she loved Chilli, but it was almost like re-living everything again. Dawson needed someone who was actually there at the time when it happened to her and usually knew her better than she knew herself. Shay knew this and was by her side a few moments after grabbing a coffee from Chilli and letting Stella in.

"So… home today?"

Sylvie spooked them all by speaking up, her eyes still closed. "Yes. Home, please? Or at least the house. I mean, hate to say it, but I really hate hospitals."

The others laughed. It was good to hear Brett making jokes again (even if they weren't particularly funny).

Stella nodded, resting a gentle hand on Brett's arm. "Dr. Manning cleared you. So did Dr's. Halstead and Rhodes-" Sylvie began to freak out so Stella reassured her. "Don't worry, they didn't see you. They just took a look at your scans and stuff, okay?"

Sylvie nodded. She wasn't okay but she was going to force it anyway. They stayed silent for a few moments before Chilli spoke up. "So…. Everyone wants to know if there's anyone you want to call? Your family, maybe?"

Brett shook her head rapidly, giving herself a headache but she honestly didn't care at that moment. "No! Please! No one!"

Gabby nodded, trying her best to calm the blonde. It was exactly how she felt when people had recommended calling her parents or at least Antonio. "Okay… It's okay."

Sylvie shifted so that her head was buried in Dawson's shoulder, surprising everyone in the room. Natalie came in a couple of minutes later- a smile on her face and a plate in her hands.

"Alright, so I'm breaking almost every hospital policy here, but Cindy Hermann made these for you… Actually, I think Annabelle did considering they have gummy worms but don't let anyone else know, okay?"

Brett smiled. The first true smile that she'd smiled in a few days. She adored Hermann, loved Cindy, and loved their kids (in small dosages!) but to know that they were thinking of her made her actually happy. She wasn't going to eat them but she watched as both Stella and Shay tried one each- Stella had half a bite, Shay almost made it through the whole cookie. Gabby, smart as she was, avoided them, and Chilli was fine with her coffee.

"Yum?"

Shay forced a smile, nodding. "Uh huh… You want one?"

Brett smirked again, shaking her head. "No thanks. I think I'll pass for now."

Dawson and Shay exchanged a glance but neither said anything. They both knew what it was like when Gabby was in the similar situation.

"Okay…." Natalie started, hesitantly. "So physically you're okay to go home for now, as long as you have someone with you?"

Brett didn't answer but Stella and Chilli filled in the details. Natalie hesitated again but knew she had to gently approach the subject. "But I'd really like you to see Dr. Charles before you leave…."

Sylvie instantly shook her head so Natalie knew not to go down the "male" issue anymore. "It doesn't have to be a male. I can find you a great female who would be good for you to talk to."

Again, Brett shook her head. "I just want to go home…. Please?"

Natalie looked between the rest of the room. Of course they all wanted Sylvie to speak to someone, but not yet.

"Okay. I'll get your discharge papers ready and then you'll be okay to go…. Are you sure you don't want to stay a little longer?"

Brett shook her head, forcing a smile. "No offense, but I hate hospitals."

Stella smirked, nudging the blonde. "Girl, you're a paramedic."

Brett shot back a smile. Her friends were truly amazing. 'Uh huh… Doesn't meant that hospitals don't crap me out."

"Never going to understand you, lady." Shay leant down and pressed a kiss to Sylvie's head. Brett's smile disappeared but the contact made her feel okay.

She whispered, mostly to herself but the rest of the room her. "I don't think anyone will anymore."

Chilli and Shay stayed with Sylvie whilst Natalie organized the paperwork and Stella and Gabby left the room to make a few calls… Sure, they'd talked with Casey and Severide but it was mostly via text. Plus the firehouse needed to be updated on what was happening with Brett… even if the blonde didn't want them to.

"Alright, girl. You ready?"

It was a couple of hours later but Natalie and April finally brought in the paperwork, and to Sylvie's hatred, a wheelchair.

"You ready to get out of here?" April spoke up- everyone wanted Brett to stay but the nurse figured she'd try her best to ease the mood.

Sylvie nodded, grateful. "Alright, gorgeous. Take a seat."

Brett looked at the wheelchair, both unsure and not super willing. She didn't move so Shay tried to persuade her.

"Sorry, babe. Hospital policy." Shay bent down to whisper to Sylvie. "Trust me, I put up even more of a fight when the Ambo got crashed."

Sylvie nodded, forcing a small smile. Shay honestly always had a way of making people feel better.

Brett was out of the wheelchair the instant they excited the hospital. It hurt more than she could describe but she hated feeling like a victim even more. The car Chilli had made Otis deliver earlier arrived a few moments later and all of the girls helped Sylvie in.

Brett was comfortable enough but more anxious than she thought. Maybe she should have taken the anti-anxiety tablet Natalie had offered earlier. Eventually, she turned to both Stella and Gabby.

"Stella?" Kidd looked back from the passenger seat as soon as she heard her name. "Can you and Gabby please sit back here with me?"

The request was instantly answered despite the fact that both Gabby and Stella were in the front. Neither Shay nor Chilli seemed to take offense but Sylvie still felt guilty. They pulled up outside of the apartment soon after and Sylvie did her best to get out of the car without any help; it didn't work well. Shay supported most of the younger blonde's weight whilst Stella let them in and Gabby and Chilli carried her bags. Almost as soon as they got in. Sylvie practically collapsed on the closest chair.

Gabby and Shay exchanged a glance, knowing why. The younger blonde hadn't eaten in days and was still in a lot of pain, both physically and emotionally. Dawson nodded to Stella, knowing the firefighter would know to order some kind of food. Chilli put Brett's bags away in her room and Shay checked on Dawson.

"How're you doing?" She whispered, making sure no one else heard.

Dawson shrugged and tried to force a smile but her eyes were full of tears. Eventually she whispered. "All that matters at the moment is Brett."

Shay nodded, not agreeing but knowing that that was what Dawson needed. She kissed her cheek quickly before joining Chilli on the couch. Stella came back into the room a few minutes later and Gabby handed everyone but Brett a beer.

"So… couch, movies, girls' night?"

Sylvie really just wanted to be alone but she hated disappointing people. She nodded, forcing a smile and letting Stella lead her over to the couch. It felt selfish- Stella should have been with Severide, Shay should have been home, Chilli should have been out somewhere, and Dawson should have definitely been with Casey, but instead they were all there with her.

"Alright, girl. Pizza's on it's way and no arguments about eating- we got your favorite. So choose something to watch and I'm sure we'll all manage to sit through some sappy romantic comedy."

She knew that Stella was joking but it was still hard to hear. Sylvie forced a smiled, flipped through Netflix and landed on "No Strings Attached."… If only it were that easy.

 **A/N: Short chapter- sorry! But I wanted to get one out before I eventually fall asleep… Pretty please review! They're so much appreciated and encourage me to write faster! ;) Next chapter will have some of the guys involved- let me know who y'all want included please!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

 **A/N: I apologize for the very late update! I'm currently typing this from my hospital bed after another bout of pneumonia so excuse the rushed and drowzy update. BUT, please review and subscribe anyway 3**

Gabby went to see Matt before Sylvie was awake. It was early, but she figured she owed him at least a visit. Shay went home to shower and change as did Chilli, but Stella refused to move- mainly because Brett was actually sleeping and had completely numbed her shoulder. To the brunette firefighter though, it didn't matter. As long as Sylvie was actually getting some sleep… However, it was definitely disturbed.

" **Don't! Please, stop! I'm sorry!"**

Sylvie's nightmares had been constant through the night but they had all at least figured that she was getting at least some sleep. Gabby wanted to wake her but the others didn't agree. Brett needed sleep but Dawson knew that that was worse. Shay agreed, but didn't argue.

" **Please, stop.. I'm sorry. Please, no more."**

Stella didn't want to wake her bur she was debating… definitely debating.

" **I promise I'll be good… Please, you're hurting me."**

Sylvie cried out and that was it for Stella. She nudged the blonde a couple of times, probably too hard, but at least waking Sylvie.

Brett jumped awake, taking in her surroundings but calming a little when she knew that Stella was there. She instinctively shifted closer to the brunette- honestly, she just wanted a female.

Stella placed a kiss on her forehead. She honestly wasn't much of an affectionate person (except when it came to Severide and Gabby) but she would honestly do anything to help Sylvie feel as safe as she could feel.

"Morning, gorgeous…. How're you feeling?"

Sylvie shrugged. "Fine."

Stella smirked, jokingly, but knowing the blonde was lying. "Uh huh… But honestly?"

"I just feel sore…" Sylvie responded after a moment. "Everywhere."

Stella nodded. She had never been through anything like that herself but she remembered when Gabby went through it. It almost destroyed both herself and Shay, not to mention Gabby.

"Alright." Stella patted her leg before stranding up and making her way to the kitchen. "You, missy, need some food. What do you feel like? Pancakes? Eggs? Waffles?"

Sylvie had barely eaten half a slice of pizza the night before and hadn't even managed to keep that down.

Sylvie cringed at the mention of food… massively. She shook her head and ran to the bathroom as fast as she could. Stella followed, holding the blonde's hair back as soon as she reached her.

"You're okay. Just breathe, okay? You're safe."

Brett didn't believe it but she trusted Stella. Eventually, her nausea passed but Stella wasn't completely buying it. She sent off messages to Gabby, Shay and Chilli asking them to come over ASAP. Stella loved Sylvie and would do anything to help her friend, but she really had no idea what to do at the moment.

Within half an hour, the girls were there. Severide and Casey were there too but they hung way back. Everyone entered except for the boys and both Stella and Sylvie couldn't have been more grateful.

Sylvie curled herself up on the sofa with Stella close by.

"Hey, lady." Shay was the first to embrace Sylvie. She knew Dawson wanted to but she also knew that her best friend wasn't entirely ready yet.

After a few minutes, Gabby gave in, hugging the blonde. "Hi, beautiful."

Even though Dawson whispered, Brett whispered back. "Please don't call me that…."

Gabby leant back and cupped Sylvie's face, giving a knowing nod. Shay had treated her the same way when it had happened to her.

Chilli finally embraced her partner- She wasn't entirely sure what to do but she tried her best. For some reason, Sylvie held onto Chilli a tiny bit longer than the others, surprising all of them.

"How're feeling?"

Sylvie shrugged although any movement she made hurt like crazy. "Fine."

Gabby and Shay exchanged a glance before Shay grabbed a throw blanket off the couch and covered Brett with it. She knew what was going to be asked and she wanted the blonde to feel as comfortable as possible.

"Are you okay if Severide and Casey come in for a few minutes? It's completely okay if you're not comfortable?"

Brett forced a smile and nodded. The last thing she wanted were men but at least she knew that she could trust them… And that Dawson, Stella and Shay needed them. Heck, even Chilli needed some support but Hermann and Cindy had pretty much taken over that part… thankfully. Instinctively, Sylivie curled up a little more but allowed the men in the room. They were cautious, of course, but it still felt weird. Honestly, she just wanted another "girls'" night.

"Hey, Brett."

"What's happening, girl?"

Both Casey and Severide spoke at the same time which surprised everyone in the room. Usually, they were these tough firefighters but now they just hung back awkwardly.

Sylvie could sense the tension in the room and, as much as it terrified her, she forced a smile and gave a motion for them to come over. Stella and Gabby stayed protectively by Slyvie's side but the blonde reached out and gave each of them a very quick and cautious hug.

Casey was the first to speak up, looking to Gabby first who nodded that it was okay. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore." Another shrug. "But they gave me some killer pain meds at the hospital." She tried to joke, again trying to ease the tension. Of course Sylvie would worry about everyone but herself first.

Stella smirked, nudging her shoulder. "But someone here has been trying to avoid taking them."

There was around half an hour filled with pointless chit-chat before the boys offered to go pick up some food. Again, nausea coursed through Brett's body but she was able to keep it down when Stella and Gabby both took her hands gently.

Once Severide and Casey had left, Shay turned to Brett. "Are you sure that you're okay with them being here?"

Sylvie forced a small smile but everyone in the room could tell she wasn't. Of course, Sylvie was never going to let on to that though so she answered with a very Brett-like answer. "Of course."

Stella pulled the girls aside when the boys went to get the food. Sylvie was still curled up on the sofa, staring blankly at the TV. "She needs to eat something. Dr. Manning said-"

"I know what Dr. Manning said!" Gabby's voice was a harsh whisper, surprising the others. She pinched the bridge of her nose before looking up at Stella. "I'm sorry, it's just-"

"Got it, babe. No need to apologize."

Stella rubbed her shoulder gently before going back over to Sylvie with Chilli in tow.

Shay nodded towards a bedroom and Gabby took her hand and followed gratefully. The second they were in the room and the door was closed, Shay embraced Gabby in a hug. Gabby gripped back hard and tried her best to stifle her cries in her best friend's shoulder.

"Shh… I know."

After a few moments, Gabby pulled back and wiped her eyes, embarrassed. "I'm sorry."

"Gabriela Dawson, if you say that you're sorry one more time, I swear-"

Gabby couldn't help but smile. "You'll what? Stop me from driving the bus? Because last time I checked, I'm pretty sure that I was still PIC."

Shay smirked. "Sometimes it's very hard to love you, lady."

Shay gave Gabby a kiss on the cheek, took her hand and lead them back out to the others. Stella was the only one who looked up, silently asking Shay if the brunette was okay. Shay nodded the kind of nod you give someone when you both know that it's a lie.

Gabby plopped down on one side of Stella whilst Shay sat next to Chilli, Sylvie obviously in the middle. Three texts came through to Gabby, Stella and Shay's phones simultaneously and the each responded quickly, a knock at the door coming a second later.

Sylvie jumped a little but Chilli put a comforting hand on her leg. "It's probably just the boys."

"Now are you sure you're okay with them being here?"

Brett shot Stella an annoyed look. "I won't be if any of you ask me that again."

Gabby smirked while Shay went to answer the door. Severide and Casey held up enough food to feed the entire firehouse.

"We didn't know what to get you so we just got some of everything."

Stella smiled at her boyfriend. It had been a rocky start to their relationship but she knew how much he cared.

They placed the bags on the counter and grabbed enough plates for all of them, plus beers for everyone and a water for Sylvie. Casey cautiously approached the blonde paramedic and handed her the water. "What is it you always say to us? Keep hydrated?"

Sylvie smirked a little and accepted the bottle but didn't drink it.

Stella, Chilli and Shay made their way over to the counter and pulled out boxes of take out. "So what do you feel like, lady? We've got Thai, Indian, Chinese, Italian… Jeez, where didn't you guys go?"

Sylvie forced a smile, standing up painfully. "I'm really not that hungry. I think I'll just go lay down for a bit."

Without another word, Sylvie headed towards her room and closed the door. She didn't want to be alone but she didn't think that she could handle much more of the boys or the smell of the food.

Everyone exchanged a glance but let it slide. If that was what Brett needed right now, that's what they would let her do. A few hours later, it was Stella whom gently knocked on the door and entered when she didn't get an answer.

"Hey, gorgeous."

Sylvie didn't look up so Stella took that as an invitation that it was okay for her to take a seat next to her. She put a gentle hand on Sylvie's arm and Sylvie instinctively moved into it.

"So…" Stella started hesitantly. "Kelly and Casey asked for me and Dawson to go to Molly's for a little while… Are you okay with that? I mean, of course we'll stay if you want us here and we won't be long, it's just…"

Brett forced a smirk. "It's your guys. I get it. Take Chilli and Shay too, please? All of you should go. Take a night off of "babysitting duty"."

"Babe…"

Brett was adamant. Hesitant, but adamant. She forced a smile. "It's okay. Please, go. Have some fun. I'll just watch a movie or something until one of you get's home… But please, please take your time!"

Stella was beyond reluctant but eventually gave in… Simply because Brett wouldn't give up. "Alright…. I'll be back soon. So will Gabby. And Shay. And Chilli-"

"I get it." Sylvie forced a smile. "It's okay. I'll be fine, I promise."

Stella took a few minutes but eventually stood up and kissed Sylvie's cheek. "Love you, girl. Call ANY of us if you need anything, okay?"

Sylvie nodded but Stella wasn't convinced. "You, lady, need to work on your faking skills…"

Brett smirked but they both let it go for now. Once Sylvie was ready, the others would push a little more.

"Go have fun.".

Brett was alone…and it scared her more than thought it would. The lights were all on as was the TV thanks to Dawson and Shay, but Sylvie couldn't help but feel wrong. Terrified wouldn't even begin to describe it.

Sylvie was in more pain than she thought possible but needed to shower. She _had_ to shower. Almost collapsing on the shower floor, Brett positioned herself in the shower and curled up as much as she could. It hurt like crazy but she didn't care. She needed to feel clean.

The hot water was the only one turned on and Sylvie thanked God that it was boiling. She just needed to escape.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

 **A/N: Ready to find out who it was? ;)**

"Well, good morning, Sleeping Beauty."

Shay was the first to speak up although all looked up when they heard Sylvie's bedroom door open. From the bags under her eyes, Brett clearly hadn't slept but the others decided to let that go for now.

Stella forced a small smile and slowly made her way over to the counter where everyone was sitting, drinking coffee and eating bagels. They knew that Sylvie loved bagels and were hoping she'd try at least a little. Plus, the smell wasn't as nauseating as some of the other breakfast options.

Brett didn't sit, instead deciding to lean against Stella who wrapped an arm around her waist. It hurt too much to sit. "We got your favorite."

Sylvie looked at the spread but shook her head. "Thanks."

She honestly had no intention of eating the food in front of her but was grateful to have such amazing friends.

"Coffee?"

Sylvie shook her head. "No thanks. I think I just want to have a shower."

They hesitated before Chilli spoke up. "You were in the shower when we got home last night. We didn't want to bother you so we all just crashed… Sorry."

Sylvie smiled. "It's okay." What they didn't know was that she had been in the shower most of the night.

They hesitated again, exchanging a glance. It was Gabby who eventually spoke up. "Alright. Go shower… But there's something that we need to talk to you about after, okay?"

Sylvie looked worried on the outside but that was nothing to describe how she felt on the inside. Without another word, she headed for the bathroom.

It was a short shower this time… Well, not exactly short but short enough to try to keep the others from worrying.

After she was dried and dressed (she couldn't be bothered doing her hair or makeup- something Sylvie rarely ever did)- she emerged from the bathroom to find the ladies on the couch waiting for her.

"Come here, honey."

Gabby patted the seat between herself and Stella and Sylvie slowly made her way over. Walking still hurt but at least it wasn't as bad as sitting.

Once they were all seated, Gabby took Sylvie's hand and held it tightly. "Okay… So, remember at the hospital when Lindsay and Antonio came to take your statement? And then Dr. Manning wanted to take some samples?"

Sylvie froze. She knew where this was going. She shook her head and tried to get up but was in too much pain to do so. "No. I don't want to."

"I know you don't, babe, but it's the only way to catch this bastard."

Sylvie shook her head again at Stella's comment. "Please don't make me do this."

Chilli reached out and took one of Brett's hands, trying to calm her at least a little. "It's too late to take any samples but Dr. Manning still needs to check you out… And the police really need as much detail as you can give them."

Sylvie looked up at her partner, meeting her eyes. She paused before whispering. "Promise me that you'll stay?"

"We're not going anywhere."

Sylvie settled on the statement first. She figured that would be "easier" than another exam. Luckily for them, Erin and Antonio came to the house rather than making her head to the station. A knock at the door forty-five minutes later and Sylvie froze, inching as close to Stella and Gabby as she could get. Shay answered the door and Erin appeared first with Dawson hanging back a little.

"Hey, guys. Thank you for doing this here."

Erin nodded, smiling comfortingly over at Sylvie. "Of course. Whatever helps Sylvie feel more comfortable."

They entered slowly and Sylvie's eyes dodged between them. She gripped at Gabby and Stella's hands as if they were the only thing keeping her afloat.

Erin took a seat on the coffee table in front of the sofa whilst Antonio stood back.

"Hey, Sylvie."

Sylvie didn't respond but met Erin's eyes. It didn't go unnoticed that her eyes would dart towards Antonio every now and again just to make sure that he was far enough away.

"I bet you're still feeling pretty lousy, huh?" When Sylvie didn't answer again, Erin continued. "We'll be as quick as possible, okay?"

This time Sylvie at least responded even though it was only a nod.

"Okay, so last time we talked, you told us that the man pulled you into the bushes and had sex with you." She wanted to avoid the word 'rape' as much as possible. "And we were talking about who it might have been."

Sylvie looked at Gabby, silently begging.

"It's okay." The brunette whispered.

Erin continued. "Was it someone you knew maybe? Someone from the firehouse?" She silently begged the answer to be no.

Sylvie shook her head, shifting uncomfortably. However, what they didn't know was that she was only saying no to the firehouse part.

"Was it a stranger?"

Sylvie shifted closer to Stella and her eyes filled with tears, still silently begging Gabby that she didn't want to go on. Slowly, Sylvie shook her head.

Erin looked up at Antonio and then between the other girls before looking at Sylvie. She paused for a moment before finally asking.

"Sylvie… Do you know who raped you?"

That was it for Sylvie. She couldn't take it anymore. She jumped up from the couch, despite the unbelievable amount of pain and surprising everyone, and almost yelled.

"It was Harrison, okay?! Fucking Harrison!"

A second later, they heard the sound of the bathroom door slamming shut and the sounds of Sylvie dry retching. After all, there was nothing in her stomach to actually throw up.

Stella stood up to follow but Shay put a hand on her arm to stop her. Stella looked between Gabby and Chilli whom also shook their heads so Stella very reluctantly sat back down.

"Who is Harrison?"

Antonio had no idea who he was but he still wanted to punch him.

"Uh… He ex. Fiance. Her ex-fiance."

Gabby looked at Antonio, trying to read what he was thinking. After all, if he didn't know about Harrison despite his and Sylvie's history then…

Before Antonio could react, Erin stepped in.

"She still needs to be checked out again but we've got all we need for now." Erin and Antonio let themselves out whilst the other girls sat around the counter in shock.

Sylvie emerged from the bathroom after around twenty minutes. It was clear that she had been crying. She wanted to apologize; old-Sylvie would have done that; but instead just whispered.

"I'm really tired."

Sylvie's eyes were filled with tears and everyone could tell that she was barely keeping it together.

"Go lay down, sweetheart. It's okay. We'll be right out here if you need us."

It didn't take long for noises to start coming from Sylvie's room.

The sobs coming from Sylvie's room were heart-breaking but none of them knew how to act. No one except Gabby that was. She got up from the counter without a word and made her way to Sylvie's room, closing the door behind her.

Sure enough, Gabby saw exactly what she knew that she was going to see. Sylvie was curled up in bed crying, both from physical and emotional pain.

Gabby didn't hesitate as she climbed into bed behind Sylvie and wrapped her arms around her. Sylvie curled into the brunette's embrace, just trying to feel safe.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Sylvie woke up with her head pressed up against Gabby's shoulder, the brunette's arm around her body. She looked up to see that Gabby was already awake and the brunette smiled down at her. Sylvie forced a smile back and snuggled deeper.

"You got some sleep last night. I'm proud of you, girl."

In reality, Sylvie had cried herself to sleep and had only gotten about two hours but it was better than nothing. "How long was I out?"

"A couple of hours."

Sylvie groaned, still exhausted. Gabby hesitated before continuing. "You know we have to get you checked out today, okay? Stella already called ahead and Natalie's working. She's going to fit you in around 1."

Sylvie squeezed her eyes shut as if trying to block out the world. Gabby stroked Sylvie's hair, whispering. "I know."

After a few moments of silence, Gabby shifted slightly, looking down at the blonde. "Are you ready to get up? Get some breakfast?"

Sylvie nodded although she had no intention of eating. Slowly Gabby helped her up and out of bed, dragging her into the kitchen. Stella was still fast asleep on the couch and it was assumed that Chilli and Shay were asleep in their rooms too. Sylvie sat down at the counter as Gabby started a pot of coffee.

"So… Am I going to get a real answer this morning or a fake one?"

Gabby took a sip of her coffee, looking at Sylvie seriously. Sylvie bit her lip and looked over to make sure it was just her and Gabby awake. "What do you want to know?"

"How are you doing? Really doing?"

Sylvie shrugged, accepting the coffee from Gabby and a few painkillers. "I don't know." She whispered. "Every time I think about it, I just, I feel… dirty."

Gabby frowned sympathetically, reaching across to take Sylvie's hand. "I know."

"What can I do to help?"

Sylvie smiled slightly. "You're doing it. All of you. In fact, you're doing too much. I don't deserve to be taking up this much of your time."

"Honey, you deserve everything. We know that we can walk away at any time but that's not going to happen. You're our friend, we care about you, we love you, and we'll do whatever we can to help you heal."

"I don't think I'm ever going to heal."

Gabby squeezed Sylvie's hand. "You're stronger than you know."

A groan from the couch interrupted them and they looked over to see Stella sit up and stretch.

"I smell coffee." Stella sat up and walked over to the counter leaning against it as Gabby poured her a mug.

Stella took a gulp of her coffee, savoring it as if it were the only thing keeping her going. To be honest, it probably was. "When did you ladies get up?"

"About half an hour ago." Gabby shrugged.

Stella shot her a glance. "You know you could have woken us, right? Are Shay and Chilli still sleeping?"

Gabby nodded. "We figured we'd let you guys sleep and we'd overdose in caffeine."

Sylvie smirked at the comment, despite it being a little inappropriate. "It's working."

That was enough for Stella and she smiled sympathetically at the blonde. "As long as there's sugar in that, I'm happy enough."

"Does Stevia count?"

Stella frowned but let it go. "One more coffee then a lot of water, okay? Unless you want to eat something?"

Sylvie shook her head instantly which didn't take either brunette by surprise. "Let's see if Natalie has any suggestions today, okay? Maybe she can prescribe you with something to ease the nausea."

"I don't think that's going to help, but thanks." Sylvie took her mug and made her way over to the sofa, flipping through the channels before landing on Good Morning America.

Gabby and Stella exchanged a glance but neither said anything, eventually joining Sylvie on the sofa. A couple of hours later and both Shay and Chilli emerged from their rooms, looking clearly well-rested for once.

"Good morning, sleepy heads."

Shay groaned, laying down on the couch and stealing Gabby's coffee. "Ugh. How long have y'all been up?"

"She's 'Texan' now?" Sylvie smirked, looking over at Gabby.

Gabby laughed. "She grew up in Baton Rouge. Her accent comes out when she's drunk or un-caffeinated."

Shay tried to throw a throw pillow at Gabby but failed miserably, eventually giving up and finishing the rest of Gabby's coffee.

Chilli grabbed three mugs- one for Gabby, another for Shay and one for herself before settling back down on the couch. Sylvie was resting up against Stella but made sure that Gabby was within reach.

After fifteen or so minutes of watching the "news", Shay spoke up, brushing a piece of hair behind Sylvie's ear.

"You know what we need to do today, right?"

Sylvie sat up properly, barely acknowledging the physical pain as the emotional pain was much worse. "Does it have to be today?" She whispered.

Gabby made eye-contact, nodding sympathetically. "Yeah, sweetie, it has to be today."

"Hey." Chilli nudged Sylvie gently. "Don't you miss riding the rig with me?"

Sylvie couldn't help but smirk. "With your driving skills? Yeah, not so much."

Chilli nudged her, glad she was joking around.

Shay clapped her hands together as if getting everyone organized. "Alright, shower, dress, breakfast, and we'll be on our way."

Sylvie looked up at Gabby whom nodded for her to go ahead and shower first. As much as she hated that Dawson had been through something similar, she was slightly glad that she had someone who knew what she was feeling.

Sylvie headed off to the shower silently after grabbing some clothes from her room. She showered as fast as she could although she could have stayed in there for hours. Changing into a CFD top and sweater and a pair of sweatpants, she let her hair dry naturally and didn't bother putting on any makeup.

Once they were all showered, changed and fed minus Brett, Stella took a hold of Sylvie's hand and lead her down to the car. She noticed how diligently Sylvie watched as Chilli locked the door and made a mental note to talk to the others about putting in some security cameras and maybe some extra locks.

Gabby and Stella sat on either side of her in the back seat and it didn't go unnoticed that she had a death grip on each of their hands. When they arrived, Sylvie made no attempt to move despite the others getting out of the car. Shay tried first but failed miserably, Chilli didn't even attempt knowing how stubborn her partner could be at times, Gabby made some headway with at least some eye-contact, and by the time Stella took the lead, Sylvie was almost ready.

"You got this." Stella whispered, holding out her hand for Sylvie. Sylvie hesitated but eventually took the offered hand, grabbing on to Gabby's with her other hand the second she was out of the car.

Luckily, Maggie and April had organized a private room for Sylvie, complete with a private entrance so she didn't have to walk through emergency. Shay had called ahead and knew the way so she lead everyone down the hallway and into the private room. Sylvie, knowing the drill, knew to climb up on to the bed and position herself as comfortable as possible. Natalie was paged a few minutes later and showed up with a small smile on her face- she may be in a difficult situation but her bedside-manner didn't waver.

"I know it's a stupid question to ask, but how are you feeling?" She was quick to clarify. "Physically, I mean."

"Better." It wasn't exactly true but it was all that Sylvie could manage.

"Good." Natalie smiled. "I'm glad… Alright so I'm just going to do a few movement tests on you and draw some blood to make sure you're doing okay. Is that okay?"

Sylvie looked up at Gabby who nodded and smiled reassuringly. "Okay."

Natalie took a look at her eye-socket, arm, shoulder and ribs gently before backing off. She didn't bother to take anymore scans, knowing that her bones were still broken and hurting.

"Well, your wrist and shoulder are healing well. So is your eye-socket and your ribs." Natalie paused. "Internally, you're doing okay too. But I want you to keep up with the painkillers when you need them. And don't try to put on a brave face and ignore the pain, if you need them, take them."

Sylvie shrunk a little under guilt causing the others to shoot her a slight smirk. It's true, Brett had definitely been putting off taking the pain medication even when she desperately needed them- mainly because she didn't want to sleep.

Changing the subject, Sylvie hesitated. "When can I go back to work?"

Natalie looked between the others before making eye-contact with Sylvie. "A few more weeks of rehab at least… And I want you to talk to someone."

Sylvie went to object but was interrupted by Natalie. "A professional. I know the girls are helping and you feel safe with them, but I think you need to talk to a professional. Dr. Charles is great, or if you're not comfortable with a male, then there's Dr. Reese or we can find another female."

"I really don't want to talk to anyone."

"CFD won't clear you if you don't." Chilli warned gently. She had been made to talk to a therapist about her drinking and the loss of her sister before she was allowed back to work, and even then, she was lucky to actually be cleared.

Sylvie looked up at her and knew she was telling the truth. She turned to Natalie before nodding. "I'll talk to someone."

Natalie smiled. "Good, I'm glad."

Sylvie sat up in the bed a little more, ready to leave. "Are we done here?"

"One more thing." Natalie hesitated. "It's been too long for you to take the morning after pill, but I want to put you on some antiretrovirals just in case whoever did this was carrying something."

Sylvie went to protest but Natalie intercepted. "Look, I know they suck. They make you feel like hell. But it's better to be safe than sorry at this stage."

They all knew how much antiretrovirals sucked. Shay had been put on them after her needle stick and was beyond nauseous after the first two dosages. However, it was better than possibly contracting a sexually transmittable disease.

"And I want you to come straight back in if you notice any bleeding… or if you're late."

The possibility of pregnancy hadn't actually occurred to anyone until now. Sylvie hadn't been in the right frame of mind to consent to the morning after pill when she was first attacked and now it had been too many days for it to be effective.

Sylvie covered her mouth and gagged but luckily Chilli was there with a bucket before Brett threw up over her clothes. Stella rubbed her back whilst Shay held back her hair. Eventually, Brett's dry-heaving eased and Gabby handed her a glass of water.

Gabby turned to Natalie. "I think we're done here."

Natalie nodded understandably, quickly writing up a script and handing it to Chilli. A hundred things ran through Chilli's mind as she read over the script- Hep C. Hep B, HIV, everything. "You're free to go. You can call me or any of us if you need anything, okay?"

Sylvie didn't respond but the others nodded. They were all a team- CFD, CPD and Med; each had each others' backs.

"Alright, babe, let's get you home." Chilli took the bucket away and Stella removed the blankets. Sylvie, still shaky both because of the exam and because she hadn't eaten, took her time to get off the bed with Gabby and Shay's help.

"No wheelchair this time."

Shay smirked. "You read my mind. Don't worry, we've got you."

It took a lot longer than it should have to get to the car but they eventually made it. Instinctively, Gabby and Stella sat in the back with Sylvie whilst Chilli drove and Shay sat in the passenger seat. Once home, Gabby and Stella helped Sylvie into the apartment but the blonde insisted that she just wanted to rest in her room for a while.

Sylvie was sitting on her bed going through her emails when Gabby knocked half an hour later, entering hesitantly. Sylvie shot her a small smile and closed her laptop, signalling that it was okay for Gabby to enter. The brunette closed the door behind her and took a seat on the bed.

"So, girly, Chilli needs to go on a grocery run, Shay and I have to run by Molly's to make sure that they haven't burnt the place down yet and Stella was wondering if she could swing by Severide's for a little while. We'll only be gone an hour tops and that's only if it's okay with you?"

Sylvie nodded and smiled. It wasn't a completely forced smile but it wasn't completely untrue either. "Yeah, I'll be fine. You guys go. Take your time."

"Are you sure?"

Sylvie nodded. "One hundred percent. Now go."

Gabby kissed Sylvie on the cheek and the rest came in to assure her that they would be back in no time. "You call us if you need anything, okay?"

Another nod and smile before the girls made their way to the door. "Oh, and Chilli? Can you please pick up some of those pizza pockets?"

That caught them by surprise but it was a pleasant surprise. Sure, pizza pockets weren't exactly healthy but they were at least food. "Sure thing, partner."

Sylvie got to work almost as soon as the others had left. She tried to think of someway to repay them for all that they had done for her but at the same time, she wasn't ready for them to stop supporting her. Logically, she knew that they wouldn't but her guilt was rising and one thing Sylvie Brett didn't handle well was guilt.

Almost exactly an hour after they had left, there was a knock at the door. Sylvie froze instinctively but eventually relaxed when she realized it was probably one of the girls.

"Hey…" Shay entered first, closely followed by Stella, Chilli and Gabby. "What's all this?"

Sylvie forced a smile, holding her hand out to the coffee table that was loaded with popcorn, candy, chocolate, tequila and a half a dozen movies. "I thought we could have a girls' night."

"You did all this?" Stella smile couldn't have been bigger.

Sylvie nodded, trying to ignore their surprised reactions. "Uh huh. 'Ladder 49' for Gabby, 'The Fast and The Furious' for Shay, 'Remember The Titans' for Stella and, sadly, 'The Notebook' for Chilli."

Chilli gently slapped Brett's arm whom couldn't help but smirk. "That was supposed to be a secret!"

Sylvie smirked, nudging her back.

Shay took the opportunity to plop down on the couch, taking up most of the room as she spread her legs out. Gabby smirked and followed, lifting Shay's legs before placing them back on her lap. Chilli followed shortly thereafter whilst Stella placed a hand on Sylvie's back and a kiss to her head. "I'm proud of you, girl."

Sylvie smiled up at the brunette, a smile as sincere as she could manage and allowed Stella to lead her over to the couch. They sat at the same time and Sylvie rested her head against Stella's shoulder whilst Chilli went for the Twizzlers and Shay grabbed the tequila.

"Shot gun first!"

The others laughed as Shay took a swig of tequila before raising her hand and pointing to the TV.

"What?" She laughed. "Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez?! Come on!"

Another laugh and Chilli stood up to put in 'The Fast and The Furious' before collapsing back on the couch. They all settled into a comfortable position (well, as comfortable for Sylvie as it could get) and began watching the movie. It didn't go unnoticed to the others that Brett didn't eat any of the snacks but they didn't say anything either.

Around fifteen minutes into the movie, Sylvie spoke up.

"Do you think tomorrow we could go by the station?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Sylvie didn't sleep but that wasn't unexpected. Gabby and Stella swapped staying with Brett throughout the night and, to be honest, they didn't get much sleep either. Luckily, Shay and Chilli managed a little more.

Honestly, none of them were sure that Sylvie was ready to be around that many men. Sure, she loved and trusted the guys at the firehouse but it was a lot to take in.

Sylvie exited her room once she smelt coffee. She knew that the other girls were going to try to convince her to eat as well but that was definitely not going to happen considering how nauseous she felt despite the medication that Natalie had prescribed.

She found the girls at the kitchen counter and rested her head against Stella's shoulder. It was either her or Gabby and considering Dawson was currently in the middle of cooking breakfast, she leaned on Stella.

Stella pressed a kiss to Sylvie's forehead before handing her some water, painkillers and antiretrovirals. Sure, they sucked but Sylvie actually accepted them gratefully this time around. Honestly, she wasn't ready to face the place that it happened or that many men but she at least wanted to try.

After breakfast, which only Gabby, Stella, Shay and Chilli ate, they allowed Sylvie to shower first. All of them knew that she hadn't showered during the night and Gabby knew that it would be killing her emotionally.

Sylvie was in her room when Gabby entered, freshly showered and dressed but cautiously.

"So, my favorite partner…" Sylvie smirked as Gabby took a seat on her bed. "Yeah, do not go repeating that to Shay!"

Another smirk which Gabby was glad to see. She took the hairbrush off of the side table and began brushing Sylvie's hair, something the blonde actually found comforting.

"So… what are you thinking today? Uniform or casual clothes?"

Sylvie almost laughed at that question. "Well, considering that I'm not cleared for work at the moment, I'd say casual is a good bet." She hesitated. " Do you think that it would be inappropriate for me to wear one of Antonio's CPD shirts? I mean, I know we're not together anymore and that it's probably not acceptable but I've got like half a dozen and they make me feel safe-"

"Sweetheart, whatever makes you feel comfortable." Gabby laughed. "And he has at least two dozen of those shirts, he's not going to miss one."

Sylvie turned her head and looked at Gabby seriously. "If you're sure?"

Gabby, just finishing up Brett's signature braid, hugged her from behind, gently but lovingly. "I am. And trust me, anything you wear will be gorgeous and accepted."

Sylvie laid back in Gabby's embrace for a few moments before struggling to get up. She paused after choosing her clothes, looking at Gabby hesitantly. "Will you please help me do my makeup? I don't want to look completely bad but I can't do it without help."

"Say no more." Gabby grabbed Sylvie's hand and lead her to the bathroom. "Believe it or not, I've had a lot of experience doing Shay's makeup when she had a "good" night the night before."

Sylvie couldn't help but laugh. That was definitely expected.

Gabby smiled, glad to see the blonde laugh, as she applied foundation gently. She knew that Sylvie just wanted some makeup to cover her bruising so Gabby tried her best to cover as much as she could without hurting her.

Once she was finished, Gabby turned Sylvie to face the mirror. "You, my beautiful friend, look gorgeous."

"Like my old self again?"

Gabby frowned, knowing exactly how she felt, and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "You're strong. You'll get there." She whispered.

Sylvie turned and hugged Gabby gratefully although it was more for her sake than to thank the brunette. She let go after a few moments and left to go change in her room. She wanted Gabby with her but she knew that they couldn't be there forever.

The girls were waiting, freshly showered and dressed, by the time Sylvie made it out of her room. Sylvie forced a smile and accepted Chilli's hand, allowing her partner to lead her to the car. No one said anything but it was clear that everyone was silently trying to read Sylvie.

By the time they arrived at the Station, Sylvie's breathing was labored and she had instinctively shifted closer to Gabby. Chilli and Shay headed inside to "warn" everyone whilst Gabby and Stella stayed in the car with Sylvie, trying to at least calm her a little.

"You don't have to do this, babe."

Sylvie shook her head, trying to force herself to calm down. "No… No I want to."

"Honey, no one will judge you-"

"Please? Just help me get inside?"

Once Shay and Chilli came back to let them know silently that they had "warned" the guys, Sylvie took Gabby's hand before she even offered it. She needed support, but she needed support from someone who had been in the same situation that she had. Gabby squeezed her hand, knowing exactly the support that she needed.

Stella lead first, protectively, followed quickly by Shay and Chilli. Gabby silently checked on Sylvie before she lead her into the firehouse and it didn't go unnoticed when Brett's grip tightened on Gabby's hand upon entering.

At Sylvie's speed, they made their way into the common room where everyone was having lunch.

"Hey!"

Hermann was the first to act, silently asking before he hugged her. Severide and Casey followed soon after, knowing that she trusted them. The others hung back, giving Sylvie as much space as she needed. It hurt Cruz and Otis like crazy but they'd rather she feel safe rather then taking their own needs first.

"Look at you, rockstar. You look like you've been in a round with Antonio."

"Hey!" Gabby slapped Casey teasingly.

All of them laughed minus Sylvie but that was mostly to ease the tension. "Or Gabby."

Hermann laughed. "Or even Mouch".

Gabby punched Hermann jokingly. "Really" Like Casey, Severide or even Capp but Mouch?"

"It's all in the training, kid."

All the men had taken back to sitting and pretending to eat minus Hermann and now Boden.

"Hello, Brett, ladies." Biden nodded politely to all of them but Sylvie's breathing became labored, not because of Boden but just because she wasn't ready for this.

"I need to leave." Shay was the closest to her and heard Sylvie perfectly. She lead the blonde outside immediately, giving Dawson a knowing nod. Gabby, Stella and Chilli stayed behind to let everyone know what was going on whilst Shay tried to calm the other blonde.

"Breathe, sweetie. You're having a panic attack. You need to try to calm your breathing. In for four, hold for four, release for four. You've got this."

Sylvie very slowly calmed her breathing and the help of Gabby coming out soon after made things a lot easier.

"Try to slow your breathing, honey. Shay and I are here if you need us."

"You're okay, sweetheart." Gabby noticed that she was staring at the place where it happened so she stood in front of her view. "Just try to breathe, okay?"

Eventually, Sylvie's breathing calmed enough so that she could talk. "I want to go home." She whispered.

Chilli lead the way after her and Stella had come out to join them. She drove the car up the driveway to make sure it was close enough to lead Sylvie in the car without her passing out. Luckily, Brett was ridiculously light so it only took Stella to carry her into the car. Naturally, Gabby got in the back seat with the two of them and Sylvie instantly grabbed her and Stella's hands.

Sylvie started crying, too exhausted to stop. The sobs broke everyone's heart but as Chilli drove them home, Sylvie cried against Gabby, trying to forget everything.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Sylvie didn't leave her room the entire next day except to shower. All of the other four checked on her multiple times throughout the day but Brett refused to talk to any of them. She noticed that Severide and Casey had come by, and obviously Cindy had dropped off a lot of food, but she was too exhausted, nauseous and embarrassed to appear. Honestly, she just wanted to shut out the world.

Unknown to her, the girls had been busy. Shay and Gabby had been making calls almost the entire day to find someone for Brett to talk to. Dr. Charles or Dr. Reese were their best bets at the moment although Gabby had put her on a waiting list to talk to the same psychiatrist she had seen after her own assault. Stella had gone out to a quick lunch with Severide and had brought back even more food for all of them. Chilli had been on the phone with Boden and the rest of the CFD team for majority of the day- trying to by some more time off for her and the others. At the moment, Rafferty and Chout were filling in for Dawson and Shay and they had floaters almost every shift to cover for Chilli and Sylvie, but Truck 81 couldn't manage much longer without Stella and they all knew that they would have to go back soon.

Severide had pulled a few strings with the CFD physio and Casey had done the same with the commander. It helped that both of them had some rank but a call from Boden also helped.

By late afternoon, all of the girls minus Sylvie and the two boys were seated around the kitchen table trying to figure out a way to help their friend.

"Obviously therapy."

"But she needs to be ready to talk." Shay squeezed Gabby's hand, subtly but comfortingly.

"What about Zumba?" Kelly suggested. "I mean, I know that she's not physically ready yet but she loved it. And with Cruz teaching, it would give her a sense of security."

"Yeah, but that's going to take weeks." Stella agreed but it was too soon for Sylvie to do anything physical. "We need a quick, temporary fix. Like a bandaid."

"Tequila always works for me."

None of them could suppress their laughs at Shay's comment. Shay just shrugged, smirked and took another swig of her beer.

"Molly's?"

Chilli shook her head at Kelly's suggestion. "No way. Too many people."

"We can't keep having girls' movie nights."

Chilli nodded reluctantly. "According to Boden, we have one more week. Brett obviously has longer but the rest of us…"

Gabby groaned unintentionally, resting her head in her hands. That was expected but honestly the last thing she wanted to hear. Instinctively, she shifted closer to Shay and away from Matt which didn't go unnoticed by the rest of them.

The suggestions were basic but still warranted a look into. It was actually Casey who came up with the best idea.

"What about a girls' weekend? Like the one you and Shay did? All of you could go, talk some things out and just be there for her."

The girls exchanged glances, impressed by the idea. It was Stella who eventually spoke up. "Ask Brett?"

Shay shrugged. "It's worth a try."

"Worked for us." Gabby smirked. "Mainly because you bought liquor."

Shay smirked, teasingly shoved Gabby and shrugged. "What can I say? I learnt from the best."

Obviously directed at Severide, he couldn't help but throw a sandwich and a smile at her. "Hey! Other way 'round."

"I think it's a good idea." Gabby spoke again. "I mean, minus the fighting husband and wife, we could find a little cabin somewhere?"

"I think we should invite Lindsay." It was Chilli who spoke up this time. "Only if Brett's okay with it, of course, but she might open up a little more and it would help to have a cop there."

The others nodded in agreement, Severide and Casey especially. It was a lot more comforting to know that there would be a police officer with their girls.

For the next couple of hours, Shay and Chilli searched for appropriate (or more so available) cabins for the coming weekend whilst Gabby, Stella, Matt and Kelly went out for a quick dinner. Sure, they had more than enough food but it felt nice to get out of the apartment for a little while.

Shay and Chilli found a nice five bedroom cabin in the woods for the weekend and called Erin who agreed instantly. They figured five bedrooms was enough knowing that at least one of them would be bunking with Sylvie during the night. The couple who ran it were a sweet old couple and the cabin was pretty secluded. After clearing it with Boden and booking the place, the girls crashed on the sofa until the others arrived home.

Everyone was happy with the place and the girls agreed that only Severide, Casey, Antonio and Voight would have the number and address, they agreed to talk to Sylvie. That was after Antonio said that Voight had offered to pay for it- after all, it was way more expensive and even with all of them chipping in, it was still a lot. Reluctantly they agreed, but only with a lot of convincing from both Antonio and Lindsay.

Stella knocked on Sylvie's door before leading the other girls inside. She knew she wouldn't get a response so she assumed that they were naturally welcome as they had been all day. Stella took a seat on one side of Sylvie's bed, Gabby on the other with Sylvie in the middle. Chilli and Shay both sat at the end of the bed and all made sure to keep their distance.

"So, lady, we have an idea."

Gabby and Stella exchanged a smile and Stella nodded for Gabby to continue. "What do you think about a girls' weekend? Just the five of us plus Lindsay, a cabin in the mountains, a lot of tequila if Shay gets her way…"

Shay faked being offended and tossed a throw pillow at Gabby.

Sylvie thought about it for a moment before actually smiling. "I'd like that."

 **A/N: Short chapter, I apologize! But the next one will be long and hopefully (depending on the reviews ;) ) up within a couple of days. Please review! And thank you to everyone that has subscribed, read and reviewed already x**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The drive wasn't too long despite both Shay and Chilli's needs to stop multiple times. Mostly for jerky, sometimes for chips, a few times for liquid refreshments but mainly for candy. It was like going on a road trip with two six year olds.

They decided to take two cars considering they couldn't all fit in one and it was an unspoken safety plan anyway. Erin, Stella and Chilli arrived first and by instinct, Erin made sure to check out the owners and the cabin before she let anyone else in. Gabby, Shay and Sylvie arrived half an hour later only to realize that the others had already taken rooms. They left the master for Sylvie and Stella knew that it was going to be the bunch of them switching out frequently to stay with Brett.

Stella, by instinct, met the second car when they arrived and grabbed Sylvie's bags before leading them inside.

Sylvie greeted each of them in a very "Sylvie-ish" way before taking in the place. It was nice, and as much as she hated to admit it, having a cop there was definitely helpful.

"This place is beautiful."

Gabby smiled, coming up beside her and rubbing her back. "We thought you might like it."

"How much do I owe you guys?" Sylvie jumped a little, nervous.

Gabby pushed a piece of hair behind her ear before smiling. "Nothing, sweetie. It's covered."

"No, I can't let you-"

Erin cut her off, smiling at her and meeting her eyes. "Voight covered it."

Sylvie went to object before Chilli grabbed her arm and lead her over to the sofa. "So, even though we're out in the woods, we've got Netflix, YouTube, everything." She smirked, looking over at Shay. "And I'm pretty sure Shay has enough tequila to knock us all out for the weekend."

Sylvie couldn't help but smile as she looked around at the others. "Thank you."

Stella was the first to jump over to her, letting her know what everyone was thinking as she placed a kiss to the top of the blonde's head. "You are more than welcome, sweet girl."

They spent the next couple of hours watching 'Scream' on Netflix although Sylvie pointed out within the first few episodes that it was Piper who was the killer. None of the others complained, happy that Brett was actually focusing on something else.

Eventually she stood up, albeit very slowly and very painfully but she forced a smile through it all

"I'm going to go lay down." Sylvie kissed Gabby's cheek first followed by Stella's. "Thank you for this."

Sylvie blew kisses to the other girls before quickly escaping to her room. Gabby wanted to follow but both Shay and Erin stopped her. "She's okay."

The other girls crashed back on the sofa and watched a movie although Erin couldn't help herself but follow up on Brett's case. After a couple of hours, she had some new leads on where Harrison might be but she knew that her team was on it. Her attention needed to be on Sylvie.

When the scream came from the master bedroom, no one really knew how to react. Erin instinctively reached for her gun and Gabby and Stella tried to force their way into the room despite Shay and Chilli physically holding them back. Sylvie was hiding cornered in the closet.

Erin cleared the room as fast as possible after noting that it was just Sylvie having a night terror. Stella burst in first but only because Shay had a tighter grip on Gabby. It only took Gabby under thirty seconds to break away.

Erin stepped out of the room, meeting up with Shay and Chilli. Honestly, none of them knew what to do except keep the door adjacent and pray that the two brunettes would have some luck.

"Hey. Hey, sweetheart, you're okay. It's just me, it's Stella. Gabby is at the door and everyone else is in the living room."

Sylvie eventually met Stella's eyes and instantly hugged her hard. She sobbed into her shoulder, breaking both Stella and Gabby's hearts. Through sobs, Sylvie whispered. "I want to be clean."

That was enough for Gabby to enter the room fully and squat down beside the both of them. The others knew to stay out and Shay even closed the door for some privacy. "I know, baby."

"Why?" Sylvie cried. "Why me?"

Neither Stella nor Gabby had an answer so they hoped that their embrace was good enough. They hugged her gently whilst Sylvie gripped back with a death-grip.

It took around half an hour for Gabby and Stella to coerce the young blonde out of the closet and onto the bed. Stella handed her a bottle of water and some pain and anxiety medication. Sylvie looked at the pills reluctantly before handing them back. The girls looked confused but obliged.

It took another hour to convince Sylvie to come out of the room. She had a death-grip on both Gabby and Stella's hands but the other girls didn't push when they saw the three emerge.

After greeting the others politely- Brett always tried to be polite- Gabby lead her to the closest bathroom after Stella grabbed her some clean clothes out of her bag. Ironically, Sylvie had packed two of Antonio's CPD shirts and Stella figured she would be most comfortable in one of them.

Gabby helped Brett shower, much to the blonde's objections. However, she knew that Gabby wasn't going to leave her alone and she was honestly too weak to shower by herself.

Once they were done, they emerged to see the others preparing breakfast for dinner. They couldn't exactly order take-out where they were so it was better than nothing. Gabby helped Sylvie to the sofa whilst Stella and Shay went to join them.

Sylvie leant her head against Stella's shoulder whilst Gabby did the same with Shay. Chilli and Erin were "cooking" waffles but half of them were turning out either burnt or undercooked. Eventually Gabby took over and had breakfast/dinner ready within fifteen minutes, perfectly cooked.

They all sat at the table and despite being handed a waffle, Sylvie wouldn't eat it. In fact, the second the smell of maple syrup hit the room, Sylvie dashed to the bathroom. Both Gabby and Stella instantly stood up to follow but Shay moved first. "I've got it."

When she found her, Sylvie was bent over the porcelain toilet bowl dry heaving. There was nothing but water in her stomach to throw up anyway. "You're okay."

Shay grabbed a wet washcloth before bending down beside Brett, holding back her hair and placing the washcloth against her forehead. Eventually, Sylvie leant back against the wall and allowed Shay to wipe her face clean. She hated being so vulnerable but she was too weak to handle it herself.

"Thank you."

Shay smiled, continuing to wipe Sylvie's face. "You never need to thank me, gorgeous."

Sylvie couldn't help but smirk, trying to find a way to forget about things. "Are you coming on to me, Leslie Shay?"

"Trust me, honey, you're too innocent for my type."

Sylvie forced a small smile before whispering. "I won't ever be innocent again."

Shay reacted instantly, taking Sylvie's face in her hands and forcing the younger blonde to look at her. "Sweet girl, I promise you that no one can take your innocence away from you. You _are_ innocent."

"Doesn't feel like it."

Shay brushed her hair back. "Maybe not yet. But I promise you, girl, that you will always be too innocent for my type."

Shay knew from Gabby's experience that they wouldn't feel "innocent" again, but at least she could try to make a joke to lighten the mood.

It took a few moments but eventually Sylvie laid her head on Shay's shoulder. The older blonde groaned after a few seconds. "You, girl, need to brush your teeth."

Sylvie, playing along and glad that someone was helping her take her mind off of everything, gently slapped Shay. "Hey, you're the one who followed me in here."

Shay stood up and helped Sylvie up. "And I'm going to be the one who helps you brush your teeth too."

After ten minutes of teeth brushing and face washing, Shay lead Sylvie out to the others. They were watching "27 Dresses" and Sylvie knew that it was only for her. The rest hated romantic comedies.

Sylvie crashed against Stella the moment they reached the couch. Gabby instantly curled up against Shay and Sylvie knew that what had happened was taking a huge hole on her brunette friend.

Chilli and Erin were playing poker- no money involved, just peanuts. Eventually Chilli stood up and grabbed six glasses, two with water for herself and Brett, and the others with tequila to help them "relax".

Sylvie jumped up and downed both Gabby and Stella's drinks before reaching for Erin and Shay's. Stella stopped her before she could reach them and Sylvie basically broke down, unable to stop as she sobbed in her hands.

None of the others spoke up; no one knew what to say.

"I hate him." Sylvie suddenly spoke up. She looked at the floor before looking at the girls. "I don't like hating people but I put all my hate on him and now… Now I'm too sore to barely stand without assistance, I'm nauseous all of the time, I can't eat… and I can't get clean. How do I get over that?"

No one knew what to say. It was silent for a moment before Erin spoke up.

"Sweetheart, you will get passed this. You're so strong. And you have all of us and more to remind you of that."

Sylvie forced a smile through tears and grabbed Gabby's hand. Everyone knew that it was fake but they let it slide.

After a while, Sylvie stood up. "I'm really tired."

Everyone forced a smile and Stella nodded. "Go lay down, babe. One of us will be in there soon with you."

Sylvie nodded and squeezed Gabby's hand, allowed Stella to kiss her cheek, before quickly heading back to her room.

"She needs to talk to someone." Chilli spoke up as soon as Sylvie was out of earshot.

The others once again agreed but had no idea how they were going to convince the blonde. It was Erin whom eventually came up with an idea. "Olivia and I speak. Olivia Benson. After Nadia… I was a mess and she was the only one I could talk freely to. I could give her a call?"

Gabby exchanged glances with the others, silently asking their opinions. She knew Olivia and she knew how great she was with victims but the last thing Sylvie wanted was to be treated like a victim. She wanted to be a survivor.

"Call her."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Good morning."

Sylvie looked up to see Chilli smiling back at her. She remembered falling asleep with Gabby but didn't even process when Chilli came into the room. Brett glanced at the clock, noting that it was only quarter to six in the morning. She groaned which made Chilli smirk, nudging her gently. "You snore, you know?"

"No worse than Stella." Sylvie smirked back, slowly sitting up. "How come you got stuck with babysitting duty?"

Chilli forced a small smile although it was more of a pity smile. "Shay. Tequila. Enough said."

Sylvie frowned so Chilli continued. "Don't worry. I wasn't drinking, Erin only had one, you drank a couple before Kidd stopped you, but the others went through a few bottles so you're stuck with Lindsay and I this morning."

In all honesty, Erin had been up all night. Her police instincts kicked in and she guarded both the front and the back doors all night, checking on Sylvie every half an hour.

Sylvie groaned in pain as she started to get up even with the assistance of Chilli. Once again, she refused pain medication but did allow Chilli to help her out to the living room where Erin was on the sofa watching early morning news. She turned around when she heard them, amused, firstly out of protection but then out of comfort.

"How're you feeling, lady?"

Chilli helped Sylvie sit down on the sofa between the two of them, mostly focusing her attention on the television to avoid the attention being on her. "I'm fine."

"Sure you are." Erin gently patted Brett's leg, forcing a small smile. She wasn't going to push- that was up to Dawson and Kidd.

"You hungry? You want some breakfast?" Chilli asked, concerned at the fact that her partner hadn't eaten in at least a couple of days.

Sylvie just shook her head and tried to concentrate on the TV. After a half an hour of sitting in silence, Erin and Chilli exchanged glances before Chilli nodded. They both knew that it would be hours before the others got up considering how much they had to drink the night before and Lindsay had spoken with Olivia Benson who said that both she and Amanda Rollins would be there around noon.

"Sylvie, I made a call last night." Erin started. "To Olivia Benson of Manhattan SVU." Sylvie looked uncomfortable and began to protest but Erin placed a comforting hand on her arm. "She's a friend and after Nadia… I speak to her at least once a week. She's a great sounding board and she and one of her detectives, Amanda Rollins, are going to come out here later today. Now you don't have to talk to them but they are great at their jobs and even better at comforting people."

"Gabby and Stella?" Sylvie whispered after a few moments.

Erin forced a smile and Chilli squeezed her hand. "They're here."

Erin and Chilli exchanged another glance as Sylvie went back to "watching" TV. Shay had passed out first followed closely by Gabby and then Stella. Both knew that they wouldn't be awake before Benson and Rollins got there. Luckily, Erin had talked to Voight whom immediately booked the cabin next door for Olivia and Amanda.

They spent the next couple of hours watching TV together but it was slightly scary when Sylvie picked to watch "The Virgin Suicides".

The knock at the door subconsciously made Sylvie jump and Erin reach for her gun. Chilli checked before unlocking the door and letting Olivia and Amanda inside. After that and knowing that Brett was safe, she disappeared to try wake up the others knowing that Sylvie would need them there.

With no success, Erin stepped forward and hugged Olivia before hugging Amanda. A subtle and silent exchange was made between Lindsay and Benson regarding Nadia but both knew that it wasn't appropriate at that time.

Lindsay lead Benson and Rollins over to Brett and Chilli, making sure that the blonde was comfortable enough before introducing them. "Hey, Brett. These are Liv and Amanda, the ones I was telling you about."

She noticed Sylvie flinch and shift closer to Chilli so Erin took a seat beside her, smiling reassuringly. "You don't have to talk to them." She whispered. "But they're here if you want to, okay?"

Sylvie met Erin's eyes and she nodded, gripping Chilli's hand like a lifeline as she carefully stood up. She was still Sylvie Brett after all and was raised to use her manners. She tentatively shook Olivia's hand first followed by Amanda's, never letting go of Chilli's hand. "Hi, I'm Sylvie. Sylvie Brett."

Both Olivia and Amanda smiled at her. "Hey, Sylvie. I'm Olivia, this is Amanda. It's nice to meet you."

Sylvie forced a smile then turned to face Erin. "Gabby? Stella?"

Erin tentatively put a hand on Brett's shoulder, forcing a smile. "They're still sleeping."

Chilli noticed Sylvie's discomfort so lead her over to the sofa. The others followed, Rollins noticing what they were watching.

"'The Virgin Suicides', huh?" She took the spot next to Olivia whom was next to Erin. Sylvie was as close to Chilli as she could get. "Jeffrey Eugenides, right?"

Amanda smiled pitifully over at Sylvie whom met her gaze before continuing. "I used to love that book. The movie too."

"What changed?"

Everyone but Rollins were surprised to hear the blonde speak up. "A lot. I went through a lot back in Atlanta and then I joined SVU… I met Liv and had Jesse and everything changed. I didn't feel alone anymore. I have a family."

"Jesse?"

Amanda smiled, taking out her phone and showing it to Sylvie. "My daughter." She nodded towards Olivia. "Liv has a little boy. Noah."

Olivia took Amanda's lead and showed Sylvie a photo of Noah. The blonde smiled, sincerely this time. "They're beautiful."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Sylvie spoke up again. "I love kids… They're innocent."

"Yes, they are." Olivia nodded to Erin, silently instructing her to wake up at least one of the others, knowing that Sylvie was on the verge of a panic attack.

Erin slipped out of the room but returned moments later with all three. Stella checked on Sylvie first but Shay was stuck trying to hold Gabby back.

"What is this?" On that question, Olivia and Amanda lead Sylvie into another room.

"I told you that I would talk to Benson. She and Amanda arrived around midday. You were all asleep and we didn't want to wake you."

"What about Brett?!"

Erin and Chilli exchanged glances as did Shay and Stella. "What about her? She's fine."

"Oh, yeah?" Gabby stood up to face Erin directly. "And I used to tell everyone that I was "fine". There's a huge difference between fine and okay!"

"Are you mad that I called her?" Gabby started to move towards Lindsay but Shay held her back.

"No!" Gabby yelled at everyone besides Stella and Shay. "I'm mad at you for starting without me! Without us. Stella and I… We need to be there. Brett needs us."

"Sweetie…" Shay started but Gabby put up her hands making them all stop.

"Don't. Just stop."

With that, Gabby left the room leaving the others stunned in search for Sylvie. Brett was sitting on the bed, Amanda by the door and Olivia on a chair close by. Both detectives were close enough for comfort if that was needed but with enough room to give the blonde space.

Gabby forced a smile at Olivia and Amanda, nodding towards the door. They closed the door behind themselves giving the two some privacy.

Gabby instantly made her way towards Sylvie and hugged her tightly. "Hi… I'm sorry, sweetie."

Brett gripped her back tightly, burying her head in Gabby's shoulder. After a few moments, Gabby pulled back and wiped a few of Sylvie's stray tears away.

Sylvie forced a small laugh. "There's nothing to be sorry about."

"Yes. There is. If I had known that Benson and Rollins were going to arrive this early or even that Rollins was coming in the first place, I would have been by your side in an instant." Gabby took Sylvie's face in her hands. "Please know that."

Sylvie nodded and genuinely smiled as she hugged Gabby again. "I know."

After a few moments, Gabby pulled back and nodded to the door. "You ready to go back out there?"

"Yeah." Sylvie nodded and allowed Gabby to pull her to her feet. "As long as you don't go all "Rambo" on the others."

Dawson smirked, holding up the Scouts' Honor sign before taking Brett's hand and leading her back out. Shay made eye-contact with Gabby and nodded to her room so Gabby set Sylvie down on the sofa next to Stella, nodded a silent apologize towards all of them and followed her best friend.

As soon as the door closed, Gabby was in Shay's arms, gripping tightly and trying not to cry. It didn't work. "I can't do this."

Shay gripped back just as tightly, nodding against Gabby's shoulder. "Yes, you can. You, Gabriela Dawson, are the strongest woman I know. Heck, not even just woman but _person_. And that includes Severide."

Gabby couldn't help but smirk, pulling back. "He's going to hold that against you if I tell him, you know?"

"Gabriela Dawson breaking the rules?" Shay smirked back, referring to the rules of friendship. "Who would've thought of that?"

Gabby smiled; Shay knew her too well. "Ready to go back out?" Shay spoke up after a few moments.

Gabby nodded, accepting Shay's hand and allowing her to lead her back out. She checked on Sylvie first before turning to the others. "I'm sorry… For yelling earlier. I wasn't trying to be rude, I was just…"

"Trying to protect your friend." Amanda smiled, clearly accepting her apology as did the others.

After a few moments, Sylvie slowly stood up and made her way over to them. "I can still hear you know." The others laughed. "How about we stop with the mushy stuff and do something fun? Shay, you still have some drinks and any games in mind?"

"Girl, it's me."

Everyone including Brett couldn't help but laugh or smirk at that comment. They all took a seat around the kitchen table whilst Shay grabbed a couple of bottles of tequila, Chilli grabbed water for herself, and Erin grabbed some shot glasses and chaser beers.

"Spin the bottle?" Shay smirked, already knowing the answer.

Gabby smiled and gently nudged her. "Watch yourself."

"How about 'Never Have I Ever'?"

The others all exchanged a glance at Sylvie's suggestion so Brett started anyway, pouring herself a shot of tequila. "Never have I ever been a paramedic."

One shot and an instant refill. The others just looked on in shock.

"Never have I ever had a best friend as a partner." Another shot. "Never have I ever been engaged." Another shot.

"Sylvie…"

"You know what? I should probably just take that." Sylvie simply grabbed the bottle, ignoring everyone else. "Never have I ever been raped."

Sylvie didn't even bother to pour another shot, instead just choosing to drink out of the bottle. She made it through almost the entire rest of the bottle before Olivia reached over and pulled it away from her. "Okay, honey, I think you've had enough."

Sylvie forced a smile before grabbing both Stella and Gabby's chaser beers. "What's enough when you're already as ruined as I am?"

Gabby was frozen on the verge of tears and Shay was trying to concentrate on the both of them. Chilli left the table- no matter how much she was worried about her partner, there was too much temptation and she knew that would only make things worse for the others if she gave in. Amanda looked over at Olivia and took a shot, signalling that she was thinking about Sylvie's last statement. Olivia simply rubbed her detective's back comfortingly before following Gabby and Shay into a bedroom. It was only Stella and Erin who could act. Erin took the beers from Brett's hands whilst Stella lead the blonde away from the table and onto the sofa.

Instantly her arms were around Sylvie, hugging her close. "Shh… It's okay, you're okay…". She whispered, nodding at Shay to take Gabby to another room. Olivia and Amanda followed. Chilli was presumably in her room and after Erin cleaned up a little, she grabbed the remote and joined the two on the sofa.

She flipped through a few shows before she came across a rerun of 'Third Watch'. Sylvie laughed slightly and sat up a little.

"You know, I used to watch this in High School. I actually decided to become a Paramedic because of Kim and Bobby."

Erin and Stella exchanged a smile before Stella spoke up. "You never told me that."

"I never knew what I wanted to be as a kid. I knew that I wanted to help people but I was never cut out for being a police officer or joining the Army or anything like that, and I'm not really a fan of hospitals so I didn't want to be a doctor or a nurse, and then I started watching 'Third Watch' and I immediately knew that I wanted to be a paramedic."

"Hank Voight inspired me." Erin started, making eye-contact with Sylvie. "I was a street kid, you know? One time he busted me but instead of charging me and putting me in Juvie, he gave me his card. I called him about three days later and he and his wife took me in. Man changed my life."

"Well I just thought the uniforms were hot." Stella started her story and the others couldn't help but laugh. "What? They are! Anyway, there were no openings in the department so I figured I may as well train as a Paramedic until there were."

"Very inspiring." Sylvie smirked mockingly; clearly the alcohol in her system was having an affect.

Stella nudged her gently, smirking back. "Dude… You got your inspiration from a TV show. I don't think you're in any place to judge."

In the other room, Shay was doing her best to keep Gabby calm. She knew all too well how to handle her best friend's panic attacks but this one seemed different. Olivia and Amanda were trying their best to help but made sure to keep their distance. Shay was literally the only one Dawson would allow to touch her when she was in a bad state, and that included Casey and Antonio.

"You're okay. Just breathe, babe."

Slowly, Gabby released her death grip on Shay's hands. Shay smiled reassuringly, cupping Dawson's face. "Good girl."

"Brett?"

Of course Gabby's first thought whilst coming to was the concern for her friend. Who would have excepted any less?

Amanda smiled, both her and Olivia moving a little closer. "She's okay. Stella and Erin are with her."

"I should be there too."

Gabby went to stand but all three stopped her as Olivia spoke up. "Not right now. Now, you need to take care of you."

"I'm fi-"

"You're fine." Shay cut her off. "We know, but right now, honey, you need a break."

Gabby waited a few moments before finally meeting Shay's gaze. "Promise?"

"Like a lie could ever get past Gabriela Dawson." Shay smirked causing Gabby to smile.

After half an hour (which Dawson timed), the four emerged from the bedroom. Chilli was still in her room, presumably waiting until there was no more temptation in sight. After all, AA meetings weren't exactly easy to access where they were.

Dawson immediately moved to be with Sylvie, taking Erin's place on the sofa and immediately engulfing the blonde in a hug. "I'm sorry."

Sylvie gripped her back, smiling slightly. "I'm drunk."

"Yes, you are." Everyone couldn't help but laugh as Brett pulled back. Dawson stood up and held out her hand, helping the blonde up. "I think it may be time to go to bed."

Sylvie faux pouted but allowed Erin to take her to the bathroom to get cleaned up nonetheless. Olivia and Amanda double checked the security whilst Shay pulled Stella aside when everyone else was distracted, whispering. "Gabby can't stay with Brett tonight. All of this… It's taking too much of a toll on her."

Stella nodded in agreement, looking over at Dawson whom was back on the sofa, trying to focus on the TV. "I know. I've noticed. Don't worry, you take Gabby tonight, Chilli and I can switch out between the bed and floor with Brett, Erin has her room, and I'll ask Olivia and Amanda to stay."

"They're staying right next door…?"

"I know. But it might make both Sylvie and Gabby feel safer for the night."

Shay nodded and smiled. "Thank you."

 **A/N: I started this story mainly for me. However, I received a very cruel PM last Tuesday telling me that I had no idea how survivors of rape felt and reacted. This hurt a lot. I know that there are people out there who are survivors or angry but trust me, I know what rape is like. I was first molested when I was two, first raped when I was three, first gang raped when I was four. That happened every two weeks of the month until I was twelve. I live with severe PTSD so please don't tell me how a survivor copes. The only thing that gets me through the days is knowing that my sisters and best girl friends are there for me whenever I need them. Everyone copes in their own way but please don't judge others.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Sylvie groaned as she rolled over in bed, burrowing her head in the pillow. She was still in complete pain from the assault but at the moment, it was her head that hurt the most.

"Good morning."

Brett took a few seconds before looking up to see Olivia sitting in the corner. The brunette smiled reassuringly before handing the blonde some water and a couple of aspirin.

"What time is it?"

Olivia checked her watch, frowning slightly at the fact that Sylvie was still slurring her words. "It's noon. How're you feeling?"

"Like I was hit by a bus."

Olivia gave her a sympathetic smile. "Do you want something stronger? Stella still has your pain meds."

"No." Sylvie's response was instant. "I don't like taking narcotics."

Olivia let it slide, watching as Sylvie climbed out of bed and slowly put on a sweater.

"Where is she anyway? Stella?"

"They went out for a walk. Amanda, Erin and Chilli are still downstairs and the others should be back soon."

Sylvie looked anxious at the situation and Olivia immediately picked up on it. "There's no cell service around here but Dawson promised that they would be back before one… Do you want me to get Chilli or Erin?"

Sylvie paused, thinking. "Actually, I'd rather be around all of you."

Olivia smiled, moving to the bed and offering to help Sylvie up. Sylvie gratefully accepted the assistance, still stumbling both from her injuries and the alcohol that was still very clearly in her system.

Olivia placed a supporting hand on Sylvie's back and lead her down to the kitchen where Chilli, Erin and Amanda were all seated at the breakfast bar. They all looked up at the entrance and smiled but Chilli stepped forward and took her hand.

Once they were all seated, Amanda offered to make Sylvie something to eat but she politely refused. The looks between the other four didn't go unnoticed and Sylvie was getting sick of it.

"I'm not deliberately not eating. I'm just nauseous. So would you all please stop with the looks?"

All of them were stuck for words except Chilli whom stepped forward, placed a fresh cup of coffee in front of Sylvie and gave her a reassuring smile. "No more looks and no more judgement. I promise."

"Thank you."

Chilli simply nodded and smiled to both the coffee and the promise.

They made small talk over breakfast. It surprised Chilli but Sylvie was actually very interested in police work so she kept both herself and the three cops busy with questions and queries. All three obviously tried to avoid the "sensitive" work.

Eventually, they moved over to the sofa and allowed Sylvie to pick the channel. Ironically, she chose a true life crime documentary.

Stella, Gabby and Shay all smiled when they entered the house and noticed Sylvie sitting fairly comfortably on the sofa with Chilli, Erin, Olivia and Amanda near her. They all took off their jackets and made their way over to the group, Stella being the one to speak first.

"Hey, lady. How're you feeling?"

Sylvie groaned as Gabby wrapped her arms around her from behind. "Ugh, level 10 hungover."

The others couldn't help but laugh. Sylvie looked adorable hungover. "Fluids, aspirin and sleep, girl."

Of course Shay knew the most convenient therapy as she handed her another bottle of water. Sylvie accepted it gratefully, practically downing it down before Gabby stopped her, knowing that it would make her sick. "Small sips."

After about a half an hour, Sylvie was fast asleep on the sofa, still working off her hangover. The others kept busy- police instincts churning on three of them whom tried to "subtlely" make their way around the place. Gabby and Stella keeping a small distance from Sylvie but never stepping out of the room, whilst Gabby tried to keep busy cleaning the place or attempting to cook meals as she kept a watchful eye on Sylvie.

It took a few hours for Brett to wake up although she was still a little hungover.

Gabby stood up from the table and walked over to sit by Sylvie. Erin, Olivia and Amanda were trying to be as discrete as possible at the breakfast bar talking about strategies to catch Harrison. Stella, Shay and Chilli were doing the same at the table only they were trying to work out the "babysitting" schedule once they were all back at work the next day.

Gabby patted Sylvie's knee, drawing her attention away from the TV. "You want to go for a walk or something?"

Sylvie nodded, smiling slightly and letting Gabby help her up and put her jacket on. "We'll be back soon."

They walked for about a half an hour in the snow before Sylvie reached out and took ahold of Gabby's hand. Obviously, Gabby didn't resist.

They walked in silence for a few minutes before Gabby spoke up. "How are you feeling?"

Sylvie looked at Gabby, hesitating before answering. "I don't know if I'm ready to go back, Gabby." She whispered.

Gabby stopped, taking both of Sylvie's hands before forcing the blonde to look at her. "You don't have to… At least not yet."

"But I've never been a failure. Heck, I never scored lower than an A during school and I passed my EMT course second of my class. They're all going to treat me like a victim, and I don't want to be a victim, Gabby."

Gabby squeezed her hands, forcing a smile. "Listen to me, you are not a victim or a failure. You are strong and you are smart and you are one of the best people I have ever met."

Sylvie took in her words before smiling through tears. "Why do you always have the ability to make me feel better?"

Gabby smirked, wrapping an arm around Sylvie and pulling her closer. "Because you, my dear, are one of the kindest people I know and you make it pretty easy to love you."

Sylvie leant into Gabby's side hug as they continued to walk in silence. They walked for a while before Gabby could feel Sylvie starting to shiver. "Let's head back, okay?"

"No." Sylvie shook her head but didn't pull away from Gabby. "I'm a hoosier, remember? I can handle anything."

Gabby laughed, pulling Sylvie a little closer. "Except when it's below twenty degrees."

By the time they arrived back, Sylvie was freezing, Gabby felt guilty and Stella was pissed. The others were a mixture of concern and relief as they watch them walk through the door.

Stella gave a slight glare at Dawson before Shay caught on and stopped her. Shay lead Gabby over to the sofa whilst Stella did the same with Sylvie, both trying to warm the other up. There was no grudge between them but Gabby knew that Stella was at least a little angry.

"You good?"

Stella was always on Sylvie's side but her concern was also for Gabby. Thankfully, Shay knew how best to take that role.

Sylvie leant her head against Stella's shoulder, nodding.

"Thank you." Sylvie whispered. "For everything you and Gabby have done for me."

"You, girl, are more than welcome."

Sylvie relaxed against Stella, resting until it was time to leave.

Once the cars were all packed up and they began to say their goodbyes, Sylvie was the first one to step forward. "Liv, Amanda? Thank you."

Before they could say anything, Sylvie stepped forward and embraced them both in a hug, surprising everyone. Both detectives hugged her back. "You are more than welcome. And you know that you can call us anytime, alright? Day or night."

Sylvie nodded and stepped back, giving a genuine smile. She watched as the others said goodbye, Erin going last, before Olivia and Amanda drove off.

They all stood in silence for a few moments. It was freezing out but the fresh air was kind of comforting to Sylvie.

"We should get going." It was Stella whom spoke up first, frowning slightly at Sylvie's instant yet subtle reaction.

Shay nodded, throwing the keys to Erin. "Chilli, you ready? If we hit the road now, we can probably hit a few of the good burger stops on the way back."

Erin rolled her eyes whilst the others either smirked or laughed. The two paramedics climbed into the back seat whilst Erin got into the driver's seat, and the other three silently wished her good luck. It really was like driving with kids.

After watching them drive off, Stella placed a hand on Sylvie's back. "You ready, babe?"

"No." Sylvie's response was instant but she pasted on a smile and shrugged, looking between the two. "But let's go."

By the time they reached Chicago, both Sylvie and Stella were fast asleep. Gabby and Stella had switched the driving but about an hour and a half into the trip, Gabby had to pull over when Sylvie started having a panic attack. It took a while but she eventually managed to calm down and fell asleep against Stella.

They pulled up outside Gabby and Matt's place, and Stella gently lifted a still sleeping Sylvie into the house whilst Gabby grabbed their bags. Stella laid Sylvie gently down on the couch, brushing her hair back from her face, before joining Gabby in the kitchen.

Gabby handed her a cup of coffee as they both leant against the breakfast back, watching Sylvie sleep. "What are we going to do, Gabby?"

Dawson met her eyes and frowned slightly, whispering. "I don't know… Trust her, I guess?"

Gabby flinched slightly when she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Stella looking back at her comfortingly. "How are you doing?"

Dawson was about to lie but knew that Stella would see right through it. "I'm okay… Honestly. I'm not over it but I've moved passed it. Now I'm just worried about Brett."

Stella half-smiled, half-frowned at her response before looking down at her watch. "Speaking of which, it's late so we should get some sleep."

Gabby and Stella exchanged a smirk- it was always fun waking up a groggy Sylvie. Gabby moved first, squatting down beside Sylvie and running her index finger gently up and down her nose. Stella came around from the other side of the couch, whispering in her ear.

"Wake up, sleepy head."

Sylvie groaned, thrashing an arm around. "Stop. I'm sleepy."

As much as they both hated and enjoyed waking up the blonde, they knew that they had to push.

"Sylvie? Wake up, honey."

"Too tired…" Sylvie mumbled causing Stella to jump in.

"Alright, it's bed time."

Sylvie groaned but knew that she wouldn't get her way so let the two brunettes help her up. They led her to Gabby's room and helped her change into pajamas before changing themselves. Casey was staying at Severide's on an unspoken request by Gabby.

They helped Sylvie into the center of the bed before plopping down on both sides of her. Sylvie looked between the two before taking Stella's hand and resting her head against Gabby's shoulder.

It didn't take long for Sylvie to fall asleep but, despite having to work early the next morning, both Gabby and Stella knew that neither of them were going to get any sleep that night.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

 **A/N: Short chapter, I'm sorry. I've been unconscious in the ICU but on the bright side, I've had some pretty vivid dreams of where this fanfic is going plus another couple circling that could be awesome. In other words, I'm a lot better and reviews motivate me ;) I'll update as much as possible (and I apologize that this chapter is fairly short)**

Sylvie woke to a surprisingly un-aching body which, knowing Stella's reputation, was the pain killers that she had specifically said no to. However, she also knew that everyone was going back to work today so in complete-Sylvie polite manner, she would always try her best to be on her best behavior.

The smell of food made her nauseous but she knew that Chilli had spoken with everyone about her eating and she knew that Gabby and Stella were both taking it seriously.

Throwing on a sweater, Sylvie slowly walked out to the kitchen to find both Gabby and Stella eating breakfast and fully changed into their uniforms. They had set up a cup of coffee without any food for Sylvie which the blonde was definitely grateful for.

"Hi…"

Brett was nervous, to say the least, but having Gabby and Stella there helped.

Brett took a sip of her coffee before trying to break the ice. "So who "roofied" me during the night?"

Gabby and Stella exchanged a glance before Dawson nodded at Kidd. Stella hesitantly raised a hand. "Guilty. But only because we wanted you to get some sleep."

"Well, thank you. I know that I told you no meds but I did sleep well."

It was clear that Sylvie was lying but both Gabby and Stella "bought" it.

A knock at the door made both Sylvie and Gabby jump but luckily Stella knew who it was and how to keep them calm. "It's just Cindy. I called her earlier just in case."

Sylvie knew the "just in case" was for her but she honestly was thankful for Cindy. The Hermmans were always there when you needed them.

Stella opened the door and none of them were surprised when Cindy immediately hugged Brett. Sylvie gave in- besides Stella and Gabby, Cindy was the only one she truly trusted.

Both Gabby and Stella stayed later than they were supposed to but Boden had already arranged with them that it was okay. Cindy had just finished making brunch for the two brunettes by the time they eventually had to head to work. Of course Cindy was doing her "mom" thing and making sure they were fed before they left. She kept a close eye on Sylvie too whom was on the sofa "watching" some cooking show.

After the two brunettes had eaten brunch under Cindy's watchful "mom" eye, they hesitated before saying goodbye to Sylvie. Gabby went first, silently placing her hand on Sylvie's knee to grab her attention. "We have to-"

"-go to work. I know." Brett forced a smile, hugging Gabby goodbye. "Thank you for staying around today. I can't say how much I appreciate you both for it."

"You're more than welcome, lady." Stella came up and hugged Brett from behind. "You know that we would stay longer if we could…"

Sylvie smiled sincerely, hugging two of her best friends before standing up slowly and forcing a smile goodbye. She nodded over to Cindy whom was doing dishes like the classic she was, hinting that she was going to be okay for the day.

"I think we've got it."

"You're sure?"

Sylvie smirked. "Would I ever lie to you?"

Stella couldn't help but smirk alongside the blonde, wrapping an arm around her. "Sylvie Brett lying? Now who could ever believe that?."

Sylvie smirked at both Stella and Gabby before unwrapping Stella's arm's from her. "Go on. There are people in need."

Stella and Gabby exchanged a glance before Sylvie spoke up again. "Go! Seriously, I'm fine. There are people who need you, and I've got Cindy Hermman batting on my side."

"She's the best."

Brett nodded, smiling. "Yeah, she is."

"Let's get going, shall we?"

Cindy always knew how to pull her strings.

Cindy buckled Annabelle and Luke in before opening the passenger side for Sylvie. She was thankful that the other kids had different lessons on today to keep them busy and that Lee Henry was old enough to stay home alone.

It didn't take long to get to the firehouse and both Cindy and Sylvie thanked God that the kids ran in first, allowing Sylvie time to get out herself.

Annabelle made it in just before Luke and immediately jumped into her dad's arms. Luke was more "mature"- hugging his dad after Annabelle, and after Cindy led Sylvie inside.

"What are y'all doing here?" It was Stella whom spoke up first.

"Well, Miss Annabelle here wanted one of her favorite aunts to braid her hair for her and obviously show it off to her dad so here we are."

Sylvie forced a smile to prove that it was okay with her being there. Honestly, as "rough" as the Herrmann children were, she really did love spending time with them all and especially with her secret specialty of braiding Annabelle's hair. Besides that, the only thing that was keeping her there at the moment were the watchful eyes of Gabby, Stella, Shay and Chilli.

Gabby and Stella hugged Sylvie quickly, only to make sure that the blonde was okay.

"What'd you think, Herrmann?" Sylvie held up Annabelle's proudly-presented braids. He was proud, for sure, but not so proud with the Junior Police uniform that Trudy had presented her with and she was doting.

Capp, on the other hand, started a slow clap only to stop a few seconds later when no one else jumped in. Brett couldn't help but smile; Capp always made her laugh.

Sylvie took a seat next to Gabby and winced slightly when Annabelle jumped on her lap. She didn't want it to be obvious that she was in pain but was more than thankful when Herrmann lifted Annabelle off her lap and placed her in "Mouch's spot".

There were only a few calls for Engine and Squad amongst the shift but Cindy hung around to cook and Sylvie managed to make it through almost the entire shift with the constant check-ins. Eventually, once Boden noticed she was too tired, he nodded to Gabby to take her home.

"Hey, lady." Gabby walked up beside Sylvie and looped her arm. "Let's get out of here, okay? Boden told me to take the rest of the shift off so what do you say to a milkshake and a walk, just us two?"

Sylvie smiled sincerely, nodding and gripping on to Gabby's arm tighter. "I think that's a great idea."

It was almost a whisper and Gabby knew that it was because Sylvie was exhausted. Gabby nodded to the common room and silently let the blonde know that she would meet her outside after telling the others that she would be taking off early.

It was way too clear that Sylvie was etching to get away from the firehouse when both Gabby and Stella came out after a few minutes. Gabby stayed back whilst Stella said goodbye, gently hugging the blonde but not putting too much pressure on her. "Call me if you need me, girl."

Sylvie nodded against Stella's shoulder but pulled back quickly to grab Gabby's hand.

Dawson nodded to Kidd signalling that she would take care of Brett for the night. Gabby led her to her car and opened the passenger door, helping the blonde in.

They drove in silence for a few miles before Gabby settled on the same bridge Shay loved. She knew Sylvie loved it too but mainly on St. Patrick's Day when they turned the water green. Shay simply loved it everyday.

Gabby pulled over after the bridge in an actual parking spot- that was the one thing that sucked not driving the ambo. Instantly, she took Sylvie's hand- not really sure of how possible it was going to be for her to cross the bridge on her own.

They made it half way across the bridge before Sylvie stopped, looking down at the water. Gabby grabbed her arm just a little bit tighter.

It took a few minutes before Sylvie spoke. She gripped the bridge bars for a few minutes before whispering.

"Gabby… I'm late."


End file.
